Bulky Household Waste Collections

Can your item be re-used?

If your bulky item is still usable, why not consider donating it to a local charity instead, or selling it? Some charities will even collect the items from your home free of charge. Click here for further information.

Alternatively, can the item be repaired? Why not look at the hints and tips for upcycling your old items on the Reuse and Repair Toolkit. This can be found on Hampshire County Council's Smart living web pages ,under section 8 by clicking the following link: www.hants.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling/smartliving

Waste Upholstered Domestic Seating - (WUDS)

The way some items of bulky waste are collected has changed. From the 1^st of January 2023 new national compliance procedures have come into place regarding the way domestic soft seating is collected and disposed of.

The items affected will include sofas, armchairs, futons, sofa beds, upholstered dining chairs, office chairs, bean bags and floor cushions.

The Environment Agency and DEFRA have identified these items as containing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) which need to be handled and disposed of in a specialised manner to ensure that the POPs chemicals are not released into the environment.

• Please ensure the items are kept whole where feasible.
• Contain any damaged parts such as rips or tears where possible to minimise the risk of any textiles or foam escaping into the environment on transit through to disposal, this can be done through sealing an area with tape or bagging an item.

How does it work?

The Council can arrange for the clearance of larger household items following payment of a contribution charge.  Within the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2023, bulky household items are classified as a type of waste for which a charge may be made for collection.

Streetscene must receive payment prior to collection. Collections are carried out weekly on a Tuesday & WUDS will be collected on a Thursday. All items must be made available for collection from outside the front of a property (collections will only be made via the rear access if suitable vehicle access is available).  Items must be made available by 7.00 am on the day of collection, for removal between the hours of 7.00 am and 5.00 pm.

Payments can be made by debit/credit card by phoning 08000 198 598 between 9am -5pm Monday to Friday, by visiting the Town Hall cashiers desk or by post via a cheque or postal order.  A letter advising of name, address, contact telephone number, description of items and number of items must accompany payment by post.  Residents seeking a reduced charge (see below) will need to provide evidence of their benefit.

Item costs and descriptions:

Cost of GBC collections from 1 January 2024:

1 item = £33.00
2 items = £49.50
3, 4 or 5 items = £77.00
Over 5 items - by arrangement

A reduced charge of 50% of the above costs may apply to residents receiving Pension Credit, Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Disability or Attendance Allowance. For clarification of benefits and allowances that qualify for a 50% reduction, please contact Streetscene. Proof of benefit payment will have to be made available upon payment.

Description of materials collected as 1 or 2 items:

Fridge/Freezer
Cooker
Washing Machine
Dishwasher
Armchair (WUDS)
Wardrobe
Sideboard
Television
Tumble dryer
Microwave
Single/Double Bed (bed & mattress = 2 items)

Description of materials collected as 3, 4 or 5 items:

Combination of the items listed above
3 Piece Suite (1 sofa and 2 armchairs) (WUDS)
Dining Table and Chairs (Chairs maybe WUDS depending on the type of seating)
Other additional items

For items not listed above or for 6 or more in number, a special collection estimate can be provided. See below.

Fridges and Freezers:

Legislation covering the disposal of fridge and freezer units came into force in January 2002.  Under the new European regulations all CFCs and HCFCs need to be removed from the insulation foam held within the refrigeration along with the process of de-gassing before the unit is disposed of.

Arrangements can be made for the Council to remove fridge and freezer units through the bulky household waste collection service.  Alternatively should transport be available, they can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre and deposited free of charge, click here for more information.

Hazardous Waste:

Please note Gosport Borough Council cannot collect items containing or treated with hazardous waste through the Bulky Waste Service. Please take these items to a specially licensed hazardous waste HWRC (click here for more information), or alternatively ensure these are collected by a suitably licensed contractor. Householders have a duty of care to ensure their waste is suitably disposed of. For more information please visit the Environment Agency website by clicking here. 

Examples of hazardous household waste include household products such as white spirit, paint brush cleaners, de-scalers, stain removers, household batteries, fluorescent light tubes, photographic chemicals, drain cleaners and oven cleaners. Garden products such as pesticides, insecticides, lawn treatments, fungicides, weed killers and wood preservatives. Car maintenance products such as antifreeze, brake fluid and lubricants.

Special Collections:

The Council can arrange for a free estimate for the cost of clearance of 6 or more bulky household items (with exception of WUDS -Waste Upholstered Domestic Seating) , larger quantities of household waste or some items not identified on the bulky household waste list.

All requests for a special estimate should be made to Streetscene and need to contain the following details:

Address
Contact daytime telephone number
Details and descriptions of items to be removed.

Upon receipt Streetscene will pass the request to the collection contractor, FCC (formally Urbaser Ltd).  FCC will then contact the person requesting the estimate by telephone to arrange a suitable time to visit.  Following the visit the householder will be advised of the estimated cost and methods of payment should the estimate be accepted.

Contact us:

Streetscene can be contacted by:

Tel: 08000 198598

Email: streetscene@gosport.gov.uk

Post: Streetscene, Gosport Borough Council, Town Hall, Gosport. PO12 1EB.