Bins

[Ember]

If more councils only empty bins fortnightly what will the bin men do on the weeks they would be emptying the bins weekly. . Surely their hours will be cut. Sorry I haven't expressed that very well, but I think you will get the point I am making/

[Lonnie]

I believe, on the weeks that they're not collecting, they will be put onto other duties, eg, sweeping the streets, Graffiti cleaning etc.

[Buenchico]

'Alternate week collections' don't mean that you only see the bin men once per fortnight.

We've had the scheme here in Mid-Suffolk for years (without any big outcry from opponents - it's generally welcomed). What happens is that one week the bin men will empty the general refuse bin, while the following week they empty the recycling bin. So they still work the same hours.

Chris

[Ethel]

So it uses the same manpower, the same fuel and costs the same.

Might as well have one dustbin for all rubbish and collect it weekly.

[Buenchico]

It might use the same resources to collect it but it helps the planet and it helps keep council tax bills down. Councils have to pay a landfill tax. Every time a bin lorry leaves its load at a landfill site, another �350 is added to the sum which council tax payers ultimately have to pay.

The recycling bins are deliberately much bigger than the waste bins, to ensure that the majority of refuse is recycled. Anyone who can't be bothered to recycle their rubbish is at liberty to group it all together for the 'waste' collection dates. However, the bin men will only collect waste which is inside a closed bin or enclosed in the special orange waste sacks which the council sell at 60p each. (i.e. those people who increase the number of lorry loads delivered to the landfill site, have to pay to offset the cost).

Chris

[Ethel]

Chris - my rubbish is a quarter of a black bag each week.

Every time I go to the local supermarket, I take my empty bottles and so on to the recycling bins which are in the car park.

I don't have junk mail (thanks to Mail Preference and Royal Mail opt out), I don't have newspapers and I shred and compost the bit of mail I need to dispose of.

I compost everything that can be composted. I am fully aware of the landfill issues, but don't agree that fortnightly collections for household waste is the way to go. I do not want a chicken carcass lying around for more than a week in the height of summer.
We are told this is perftectly hygienic if we wrap the waste up well. What in? Does this mean I have to buy plastic bags? What a nonsense that would be - they are not degradable.
And I feel sorry for families with young babies with nappies and so on.

I refused to have the recycling bins. You can tell when the recycling bins have been emptied because the collection lorries shed waste paper as they drive down the roads.

Many other countries have daily collections for household waste - usually late at night.

I really believe this is a backward step for the UK.

[Coobeastie]

Food being left out often seems to be a worry with these collections.

We have a fortnightly bin collection where I live, food goes into a special bin with a locking lid...haven't had any problems so far with flys/smells/rats etc. The food bins get collected each week along with other recyling items like bottles/tins/newspaper. The main bin gets collected every other week.

Suppose it depends on the quality of the staff employed but don't recall seeing our streets awash with newspapers.

[Panic Button]

Ethel, you sound as though you have condemned the system without giving it a chance. I applaud you though for composting your wet waste already.

Why should a recycling lorry drop rubbish on the road any more than an old style collection?

Our area collects wet waste for composting weekly, so there shouldn't be anything in the fortnightly bins to create a problem. The chicken carcass you mention would go in the weekly wet waste. You can line the caddy which you collect your wet waste in with a green biodegradable bag, which even Tescos are selling now.

We have had the system for some time now and it works well. The only thing is it requires a bit more effort on the part of the householders - and that is where the problems and resistance come from.

[VINNY100_2]

We have had a fortnightly collection for a couple of years hear in n.Devon.on the weeks they dont collect household waste, they collect a green wheelie bin for garden waste/cardboard.Every tuesday we have a collection for bottles/newspapers/clothing and shoes.It all works well,and they check each bin to make sure you havent contaminated it with the wrong waste.I think its a brill system.(:O)

[Ethel]

I've been composting for 50 years or more, and recycling glass, tins and paper for many years. :)

What is proposed for my area is fortnightly collections for all non - recyclable household waste, including foodstuffs such as the chicken carcass. This is what bothers me.

The recycling wagon sheds rubbish because it suspends newspapers in bags from the side of the wagon. Every time it goes round a corner - more paper flying about. I am sick of complaining to my council about it.

And the council do not provide facilities for recycling plastics, which is the bulk of my black bag waste. I would have to drive over 30 miles for plastics recycling, which is unfeasible.

[Hugh Spencer]

The landfill tax is or has been increased by the government by a directive from the EU (something else from the mad EU) and passed on to the local council. If only the government would stop being too ready to adopt the latest measures from the EU.

[Goodsoulette]

I have alternative week collections. The food waste and recycling is collected weekly. The only things that should be going in your main bin is plastics and cardboard.

I think its making the binmens jobs slightly less grotty,

Your chicken carcus should go in your food bin, collected weekly.

[thundercrack]

we used to have one dustman. he drove the lorry, emptied the bins and was always on time and happy. now we have fortnightly. 3 dustmen. one driving, two running and emptying. shortly after, another lorry for the re-cycled. 2 men. the following week, green waste. 2 men, one lorry. before anyone had the green bin we would dump our grass cuttings by the riverbank opposite. not unsightly. add it up. we have gone from one man to three and a half a week.and three lorries. atmospheric pollution? good bye tony blair, wait till the next election, we will see if you are really god or not.

[Panic Button]

It seems each area is different.

We used to have to buy black bin liners and on collection day lift tem out and leave them for the cats or foxes\to rip open.

Now we have wheely bins we don't have to buy black bags, and I can get away with the cheapest, thinnest swing bin liners as it all goes straight into the wheely bin.

The street is tidier than before as the wheely bin empties efficiently into the lorry and the animals don't get a look in.

Thank god for the new system!

[4getmenot]

we have this done in my area. Normal rubbish 1 week recycling the next and no probs whatsoever. And all these people saying they dont want old food leftovers being left around for weeks, well Dont leave any!! Will make people think a bit more about the food we do waste. Where I live we have no problem with rats or smells, just be abit more careful thats all.

[Ember]

Thanks for your input, good arguments from you all. Recycling is great when organised well. My son has different colour wheelie bins for recycling. Myself we have small boxes which have to be lugged to the street to be collected on the day, alright if you are young and fit, not so alright if like me you are small and unfit. Cheers all!