Waste and Recycling

Keeping the Vale of Glamorgan clean and green starts at home – and for people living in the St Athan Ward, understanding how waste and recycling collections work helps protect our environment, reduce landfill, and ensure everyone does their bit for a more sustainable community.

What Services Does the Council Offer?

The Vale of Glamorgan Council provides a range of waste and recycling services, all designed to make it easy for households to dispose of waste responsibly. These include:

• Kerbside collection of household waste and recycling

• Food waste collection

• Garden waste service (subscription-based)

• Textile recycling

• Bulky waste collection

• Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) for larger or unusual items

• Support options for those who find it hard to bring waste to the kerbside

How Waste Collection Works

Black / General Waste

• Collected every three weeks.

• Put out up to three bags of household waste that cannot be recycled or composted.

• Items like wet wipes, polystyrene, pet waste and nappies go here, but anything recyclable should not be placed in black bags.

• There are options to apply for an additional bag allowance if you have valid reasons for needing more space.

• Hygiene waste may be collected separately if you have a council-approved hygiene caddy.

Recycling Collection

Recycling is collected every week and should be separated into the correct containers. Typical categories include:

• Glass (e.g., bottles and jars)

• Paper and card

• Mixed metals and plastics, and food & drink cartons

• Household batteries and small electricals

• Food waste (collected weekly from a kerbside caddy with liners)

Recycling bags and containers (including food caddies) are available for free or for purchase at local libraries and the Civic Offices.

Garden Waste

• Garden waste collections run on a subscription basis.

• Subscribers place garden waste bags at their property edge by 7am on collection day.

• You can take garden waste to HWRCs for free or compost it at home if you choose not to subscribe.

Making It Easier: Tools and Support

Check Your Collection Days:
Residents can use the Council’s online Collection Day Checker by entering their postcode to find out exact dates and set email reminders.

Need Help With Collections?
If carrying your waste and recycling to the kerb is difficult, an assisted collection service may be available with application via the Council.

Online Self Service:
Quick services like reporting a missed collection, requesting bin containers, booking bulky collections, or reporting fly-tipping can be done through the Council’s Waste Self Service portal.

Tips to Help You Recycle Right

• Rinse containers and flatten cardboard to save space and avoid contamination.

• Use the correct coloured bag or caddy for each type of material.

• Do not put recyclable items in black bags — they will not be collected and increase landfill waste.

• Check the Vale’s A–Z recycling list online if you’re unsure which bin to use.

Why It Matters

The Vale of Glamorgan has a strong recycling rate, and efficient sorting at the kerb helps improve this further. By recycling correctly and using services as intended, residents help reduce waste going to landfill while contributing to a cleaner, greener community.