Council fridge and freezer waste collections have been suspended in Nottinghamshire, effective from 10 August, for an initial period of four weeks. The county council stated that the suspension is a result of a national shortage of space at disposal sites for these items.
A Nottinghamshire County Council spokesperson said the issue affects councils across the country and is beyond local authorities' direct control. The council will review the suspension weekly and aims to reinstate collections once suitable disposal capacity becomes available.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) acknowledged the challenges faced by local authorities and confirmed it is working with the Environment Agency, industry, and local authority stakeholders to manage the impact of treatment capacity shortages. Defra expects capacity in existing treatment facilities to increase towards the end of summer as temperatures fall.
Jacob Hayler, executive director at the Environmental Services Association (ESA), the trade body for UK waste operators, noted that there are few specialist facilities for fridges and freezers. He attributed the current national capacity constraints to serious fires and commercial closures of these facilities over the past year. Recent heatwave conditions, which require plants to operate at reduced capacity above 30°C, are also believed to have worsened the shortage.
Residents are advised not to leave fridges and freezers out for collection during the suspension. Mansfield District Council has asked people to store appliances safely at home until collections resume. Nottingham City Council has implemented a restriction of one fridge/freezer per visit per week at its Lenton recycling centre and suggests residents ask retailers to take back old appliances when new ones are delivered.