BASILDON Council is continuing to strengthen its approach to waste management, making it easier for residents to dispose of waste responsibly while taking tougher action against fly-tipping as the popular Crunch bulky waste service returns.
At the centre of this effort is the next Crunch event, taking place on Saturday 25 April 2026, with six community drop-off locations open from 9am to 12:30pm:
Chalvedon Pub
George Hurd Centre
Rookyards
Somercotes
Bourne Close, Victoria Park
Wick Country Park
The Crunch service continues to provide residents with convenient, local opportunities to dispose of bulky household waste responsibly helping reduce fly-tipping while boosting recycling.
The service has already delivered significant results in 2026. At the most recent event on 21 March 2026, residents disposed of 54.27 tonnes of waste in a single morning.
Of that total, 28.33 tonnes were recycled, achieving a recycling rate of 52%. So far this year, 166.75 tonnes of waste has been collected through Crunch events, contributing to a total of 426.75 tonnes since the service launched last year.
Alongside the return of Crunch, the council has increased overall capacity for residual waste collections, reintroduced targeted community drop-off events, and stepped-up enforcement activity. This includes the use of CCTV in fly-tipping hotspots and strengthened communications to ensure residents are aware of their responsibilities.
Fly-tipping remains a serious issue, and the council is clear that it is a criminal offence. These combined measures aim to make it easier than ever for residents to dispose of waste correctly while taking firm action against those who do not.
A council spokesperson said:
“We’ve made it easier for residents to dispose of their waste responsibly by increasing capacity, bringing back the Crunch service, and expanding our presence in communities. At the same time, we are stepping up enforcement with CCTV and targeted action against fly-tipping.
“There is no excuse, fly-tipping is a criminal act. We’re seeing strong results, but we can always do more, and we need everyone to play their part in keeping Basildon clean.”
Residents are encouraged to check which items are accepted before attending. Full details are available at: www.basildon.gov.uk/TheCrunch
