What happens to soft plastics mixed in with the recycling?

One of the most common questions we hear is about soft plastics—those tricky wrappers and bags that can’t go in the regular recycling. At the depot, we learned that these are currently picked out during sorting if they do accidentally end up in your plastic recycling at home. 

We were told that if you have soft plastics in your recycling bin, your whole bin may not be collected for the risk of contamination. The Council has to implement this refusal policy as part of its waste management approach, as they are fined by the processor for soft plastics contamination in our waste. We should try to keep our soft plastics separate, for now, and most of it can be recycled at larger stores. 

The good news: officers told us that Stevenage Borough Council is working on plans to introduce a dedicated soft plastics collection.

How is food waste processed? Are there plans to improve food waste collection?

We were pleased to hear about improvements in food waste recycling. Food waste is composted in the collection vehicles themselves, and stays there for two days before being processed further.

We also hear a lot of questions around food waste collection from flats, and whether this is part of the waste management strategy. Currently, no food waste is collected from flats in Stevenage. The Council told us they are working on changing this, with more announcements coming at Stevenage Day. Stevenage Green Party will also have a stand on Stevenage Day so please come and join us there!

Where does textile waste go? Is it recycled?

Textile waste is both recycled and shipped abroad for further processing, which can include selling the items on. This is done by a third party and textile waste is collected from dedicated clothing collection banks. While recycling is positive, we’d like to see more transparency and local solutions to ensure our old clothes are put to good use.

Has the Council considered replacing some of the grass, with more ecologically friendly landscaping?

There are plans to increase the number of wildflower meadows in Stevenage, building on the over 100 areas already left unmown to support biodiversity. While this isn’t a part of waste management, and we didn’t get all the details, it is encouraging to see the Council recognising the importance of wild spaces for pollinators and wildlife.

The Council used to donate wood chip for allotments. This has decreased over the years. Why is that?

If you’ve noticed less woodchip being donated to allotments, it’s because the Council can now sell it for a good price, thanks to rising demand for biofuels. 

Allotment holders can still request woodchip by emailing the allotments team—so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need some for your plot. You can contact the Council via email allotments@stevenage.gov.uk

Can all my waste be recycled?

We learned that the Council is constantly updating its A-Z guide on what can be recycled as processes improve all the time. For example, did you know you should take off the lids from your glass and put them in your black recycling bin? The Council’s A-Z guide has a helpful overview for all most common household waste. 

Stevenage is also part of the Hertfordshire WasteAware Partnership and officers told us they regularly attend meetings to discuss waste collection and processing. They also discuss opportunities for collaboration across the county to improve recycling and waste management. 

Final Thoughts on Waste management in stevenage

It was heartening to see the hard work that goes into managing Stevenage’s waste and to hear about plans for greener, more sustainable practices. All Council officers were very supportive and knowledgeable — taking the time to answer our questions.

Of course, there’s always more to do, and we’ll keep pushing for improvements, especially around transparency and support for community initiatives.

If you have questions about waste, recycling, or environmental issues in Stevenage, get in touch with us or join our next meeting. 

Together, we can help make Stevenage cleaner, greener, and fairer for everyone.

The post Waste Management in Stevenage: Depot Open Day 2025 appeared first on North Herts & Stevenage Green Party.

In North Herts, 3065 people voted Green, no councillor was elected on more votes than this.

In Stevenage, 1325 people voted Green, only one councillor in Stevenage was elected on more votes than this.

We were pleased to give voters something positive to vote for, but also sad that those people who chose to vote Green do not have any representation on Hertfordshire County Council from North Herts or Stevenage.
On a more positive note, it is great to see that there are now 5 Green Party Councillors on Hertfordshire County Council, 2 from Hertford, 2 from Ware and 1 from St Albans

Jim Borcherds, Dave Elder-Vass
Coordinators, North Herts and Stevenage Green Party

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In response to the Government’s decision to allow an increase in capacity from 19 million to 32 million passengers a year, the Luton Green Party said it was “outraged” by the decision, calling it a “move that shamelessly puts corporate interests above people’s lives”. They explain:

“Residents are under constant attack with flightpaths roaring directly over homes, schools, and parks and noise so extreme it ruins lives. Studies prove long-term exposure to noise cuts life expectancy, yet Ministers don’t seem to care. This expansion isn’t progress – it’s a disaster for our community and our planet.” 

Residents in the North Herts and Stevenage will also be affected by this decision as many of our neighbourhoods fall under the flight paths of Luton airport.

Local campaign group LADACAN, which has been actively opposing expansion of the airport for many years, has published an analysis of the claims made to support expansion at https://ladacan.org/labour-dumps-environment/

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For more information on our local policies, see our Green Manifesto for Hertfordshire.  

our candidates

Bedwell – Balgiisa Ahmed

Broadwater – Glen Rozemont

Chells – Dave Ingarfill

Old Stevenage – Becca Watts

St Nicholas – Jennifer Arndt

Shephall – Stephani Mok

Bedwell – Balgiisa Ahmed

Passionate about community well-being, I am committed to making Stevenage a safer and fairer place for everyone. I have over a decade of experience in higher education and legal research and track record in fighting for a better future for young people.

By standing as your Green candidate, I aim to champion sustainability, justice, and community cohesion. There are no individual issues in Stevenage, all issues are ours to share and solve together.

Broadwater – Glen Rozemont

Hi, my name is Glen Rozemont, I live in Broadwater and have my own local business working as a gardener. I have decided to become a Green Party candidate as I am passionate about the wellbeing and standard of life of the people of Stevenage.

Working in and amongst the district as a gardener, I talk a lot to local people about their political and community values. Informed by these discussions, I seek to improve community areas to help with antisocial behaviour, traffic on Stevenage match days and I want to push for more social, council and affordable homes, so that people can remain close to family and the community.

Let’s make everyone’s 24 hours of the day better, not just for the few.

Chells – Dave Ingarfill

Candidate statement coming soon.

old stevenage – becca watts

My commitment to fostering equity and fairness in our community is unwavering. Having lived in the Old Town of Stevenage for more than thirteen years, I am a neurodivergent individual who co-parents my son, granting me an understanding of the needs present within the educational system. Over the past year, I have also acquired valuable insights into the care sector relevant to our societal climate. Furthermore, as an active traveller who does not drive, I recognise the significance of improving transport networks.

My academic journey, with a degree in social policy and a master’s degree in sustainable development on the horizon, is a testament to my dedication to society’s welfare. These qualifications and personal experiences equip me with the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact. As your ethically conscious candidate, I am committed to promoting equality, balance, and sustainability within our community.

St Nicholas – jennifer arndt

I moved to Stevenage with my family just as the first covid lockdown was lifted. Since then, I’ve only grown more committed to building a more inclusive, fairer and supportive network. I am currently a small business owner and uniquely positioned to understand the challenges we currently face from a variety of perspectives.

By standing as your Green candidate, I want to help nurture a thriving community where everyone will feel heard and welcomed no matter how they ended up living here. I believe that many would like to have a safe, fairer, and greener community for our children to grow up in and I would be honoured to have the chance to make that happen.

shephall – stephani mok

I joined the green party because I’m passionate about environmental conservation. I also see the Green Party as one that truly advocates for social justice and fairness.

I would be a great councillor because I have substantial background in carrying out casework on housing and welfare benefits problems having logged a total of 8 years as an advice worker.

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Green Councillors understand the importance of these consultations and plans to make our communities safer. We are committed to transform local transport, including through safer routes to schools.

The proposed plans aim to improve road safety, create calmer streets and encourage more walking and cycling. For these plans to go ahead, at least 10% of residents need to respond, of which 50% of responses need to be in favour.

The Baldock and Chells area consultations close on 17 March 2025. You can have your say directly by clicking on the below links for each area:

Baldock

Baldock Northeast

Baldock South

Baldock West

Chells Area, Stevenage

Chells area (North) & St Nicholas (Southeast)

Chells area (Centre)

Chells area (South)

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