Household/General waste

Each stair has a communal bin store, with two landfill bins which are emptied twice a week on a Monday and Thursday. If you are using the bin chutes on your landing, please make sure all rubbish is bagged. It is important that bags are not too big as they can block the chute, resulting in charges made for clearing that are shared between the owners in each stair. If you have any rubbish larger than a full ‘supermarket’ carrier bag, please take it directly down to the bin store. This avoids the risk of the chute becoming blocked and also reduces the possibility of burst bags etc contaminating the chute.

Recycling

The communal bin stores also have the following recycling facilities:

Green lidded recycling bins

These bins are for plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, paper, cardboard, tins/cans, clean foil, envelopes and juice cartons. You should put the items in to the recycling bin separately, not in plastic bags as this, and any other non-recyclables placed in the mixed recycling bin, will result in the whole of the contents getting labelled as “contaminated” by the Council. This means that everything in the bin will be taken to the landfill site.

Each stair has one bin for mixed recycling in their bin store.

Purple lidded recycling bins

These bins are for glass bottles and jars, without corks/screw tops. You should, however, not use this bin for pyrex, sheet glass or ceramics.  You are asked not to use these bins between 9pm and 7am to prevent noise irritating other owners, particularly those on the ground floor.

Each stair has one recycling bin for glass in their bin store.

Brown/grey lidded recycling bins

These bins accept food waste from all types of food, including uncooked and cooked – e.g. beans, pasta, rice, bread, cakes, dairy items, egg shells, fruit, vegetables (and peelings), meat, fish, tea bags, coffee grounds, crisps, pizzas, burgers. It does, however, exclude liquids, such as cooking oil and milk. These remain general waste. You should bag your waste in compostable bags before putting it into the food waste bin.  

Each stair has one recycling bin for food waste in their bin store.

Please make sure you empty and rinse out food containers and bottles before recycling to avoid smells in the bin store, and the bins becoming contaminated. You should also ensure that you flatten cardboard packaging to reduce the space used in the bins and in consideration for others using the facility. 

All rubbish should be put into the appropriate container in the bin stores and not left outside the bins.  Large items must be taken by owners to the Council dump or uplift arranged with Edinburgh City Council.

Uplifting of waste

General waste bins (landfill) are emptied on Monday and Thursday (Route 25)

Mixed recycling bins are emptied on Thursday (Route 62)

Food waste bins are emptied on Thursday (Route 79)

Glass containers are emptied on Tuesday via Edinburgh City Council contractor, Viridor.

In general, Edinburgh City Council’s refuse collectors leave the bin stores in a fairly tidy way and the bin stores should be swept weekly by the cleaners.  If you have an issue with the way the bins are left or if they have not been uplifted, you should contact Edinburgh City Council on 0131 529 3030 or email at waste@edinburgh.gov.uk. Issues relating to the cleanliness of the bin stores should be raised with the factors directly. The bins are cleaned quarterly by DSLA Wheely Clean.

Bin store keys

All owners have been issued with a key for the bin stores. If you do not have a key for the bin store, you should contact the factors for a replacement or buy a star key from a DIY store. It is important that bin stores are locked to avoid animals and birds getting in or rubbish/leaves being blown in. On occasion, the refuse collectors do not close the bin store doors correctly and they blow open. If you notice this, please use your key to lock the bin store.