Council’s popular Mega Skips scheme is being expanded

The council’s hugely popular Mega Skips recycling scheme is to be expanded from 12 to 18 days a year, councillors have agreed.

The pioneering council initiative offers residents a simple and convenient way of getting rid of their unwanted household items free of charge.

They can deposit up to six items in a Mega Skip – a huge 40 yard long metal container that can accommodate tonnes of household waste.

People can use them to dispose of large bulky items that cannot easily be left out for normal refuse and recycling collections.

One of the main advantages of the scheme is that everything placed in a Mega Skip is recycled – delivering a big increase in the borough’s recycling rates.

And it means that some items which might have been flytipped in the past are now being disposed of correctly. Since the current scheme was introduced last July, there has been an 11 per cent reduction in the number of flytips on the borough’s streets.

Judi Gasser, Wandsworth’s Cabinet Member for Environment said: “Since last July when we began offering Mega Skip days once a month, residents have used them to dispose of nearly 200 tonnes of unwanted household items.

“That figure is bound to grow now that we are increasing the number of Mega Skips days from 12 to 18.

“The beauty of our scheme is that everything left in a Mega Skip is recycled, which is not only good for our local environment, but because it reduces our disposal costs, means we can also continue to offer our residents the same low council tax.

“And the success and popularity of our Mega Skips has led to a significant reduction in the number of flytips left on our streets. Increasing the frequency of the scheme should help drive down that number even more.

“Expanding this service is another important step in making Wandsworth a more sustainable, healthier and greener place to live.”