Binmen told: dump green waste at tip
DUSTMEN struggling to cope with a backlog of unemptied bins caused by a new recycling drive have been told by their bosses: dump the "green" waste in with everything else.
Derby City Council has admitted that in some cases rubbish which residents have painstakingly separated from their other household waste has gone into the wagons heading for landfill.
This is because it has struggled to catch up after bin routes were redrawn to make them more efficient, adding another 5,000 homes to the city's kerbside recycling scheme, which asks residents to separate glass, plastic and paper from other waste.
In the first week the new system was introduced, the council received 1,200 calls about missed bins.
The following week that rose to 1,600.
Andrew Hopkin, the city's assistant director for environmental services, said: "In a few cases, we have had to collect blue/brown and black bin waste in the same vehicle.
"This is an unfortunate side-effect of the current problems we're experiencing but our priority is to make sure we catch up with the rounds."
Ivan Webb, 62, of Curzon Lane, Alvaston, said: "I saw them put all three bins on the one lorry; they didn't separate the recycling and other waste. In fact, I saw the binmen tipping the blue waste into the black bins, then emptying them into the lorry.
"I was pretty put out by it because we go to the trouble to separate our waste and are told by the council we should and then this happens."
The changes came in three weeks ago and city officials say there are still about 300 bins which have not been collected.
Some residents say their bins have not been collected for four weeks, including Pauline Blythe, of Rose Hill, who said: "It's been disgusting. It stinks."
Mr Hopkin said normal waste had only been mixed with recycled rubbish as a temporary measure and the council could not say in how many cases it had happened.
Mr Hopkins said: "Derby City Council is currently changing the refuse collection rounds to make them more efficient and cost-effective.
"These changes have unfortunately meant that a number of streets have been missed for their normal collections."
The authority, which collects 105,000 bins in the city each week, said it was confident the number of uncollected bins would decrease by the end of this week.
A spokesman said no log was made of how many recycling bins had been emptied with black bin waste but said the priority at the moment was to get bins emptied.
Labour councillor Ranjit Banwait said: "The way the rounds had been redrawn is ridiculous because it took binmen off the rounds they were used to and has created this problem."
Mr Webb said: "Our black bin was meant to be emptied on Friday, January 29, but it wasn't. The council said it would be collected in five working days but it wasn't.
"Last Friday the blue bins were supposed to go out but they weren't collected. We were told they would be collected in three working days and they finally collected them early on Saturday.
"However, many of the residents in the street had taken their bins in thinking this wasn't a working day so some people still haven't had theirs collected.
Mrs Blythe, 56, said several of those are at her block of flats in Anchor Fold, off Madeley Street, Rose Hill.
"You can't fit any more in the bins because the lids are up – it's awful. There have been two or three foxes hanging around because of it as well."
Mr Banwait said he was furious about the current situation and said he would collect waste himself and leave it in the Council House if the situation was not sorted.
Mr Hopkin said he hoped the service would be back to normal in a matter of weeks. He added: "We are putting on extra vehicles to cover these problems.
"Despite these early setbacks, waste management are responding to all calls across the city. We are confident the problems will be reduced when the drivers and support staff become familiar with the new rounds."
Anyone whose bin has been missed is urged to call the city's waste services advice line 0333 200 6981.
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by Jenny, Duffield
Thursday, February 11 2010, 2:23PM
“We are lucky with Amber Valley Council, although it would be a lot more helpful to have a box to recycle plastic (we have to take down to the supermarket now as the rubbish bin was getting full of mainly plastic)....the rubbish it taken each week, at the same time, by the same people. Every other week is either rubbish or recycling so no mix up in the wagon, also, i was very impressed this week as i had not put the garden bin out (which was full), the binman came into the garden to get the bin and actually put it back afterwards. I was so impressed i will be thanking him in person next Monday. Just proof that some councils do get it right i suppose.”
by Council-tax-paying -resident, Kedleston Road Area
Thursday, February 11 2010, 2:13PM
“This is another example of Derby City Council's inability to do anything for the good of the community that pays it to look after it! On 25 January my black bin was emptied for the first time in 5 weeks despite constant complaints from our street who were all in the same position! I notice that our recycling has still not been collected since 1 February! It is now littering our street and causing a health and litter hazard. I think those in charge of waste disposal should consider their positions with their employers! They are being employed to do a job that they are clearly unable to do! Lesser people would have been sacked by now!
If I buy a product that fails to do what I purchased it to do, I take it back for a refund on the grounds that it is "not fit for purpose" I ask Derby City Council now, "Can I get a refund - you are not fit for purpose"!
I care about my environment and am happy to recycle even though at times this is an inconvenience to me. I am appalled that my time, effort and beliefs are being so blatantly disregarded by this awful local authority that continue to let us down time and again!
With reference to "Angry Mob" and his/her comments - I too was offered the services of an advisor a few years back when I complained. I wonder how much of our council-taxpaying money supports such a patronising role!?
I have to add though that the workers who undertake the collections are great guys. They work hard in a job most of us would turn our noses up at. They work hard and I'm sure that they are not happy with the current state of the collections. I suggest that if the Council decides to review it's inefficiency regarding bin collections, it should involve a large group of bin collection operatives to assist with their planning. I bet if we left it to the bin collectors themselves we'd be sorted in no time!!
Mr Hopkins - resign!
Cllr Banwait - shut up!”
by Angela, Derby
Thursday, February 11 2010, 2:01PM
“It isn't happeing because the rounds have been changed, the bin where I live put all the refuse from blue brown and black bins into the same lorry because a lot of houses only have a black bin some have all three. The lorry to collect the newspapers never comes so all the papers left in bags goes into the bin lorry as well. My black bin goes out once a month as we don't generate enough refuse to justify putting it out,”
by Lisa, Osmaston
Thursday, February 11 2010, 1:54PM
“My blue bin didn't get collected 2 weeks ago although my brown bin had been emptied on the Tuesday (my bins get emptied on Thursday). I left the blue bin out in the hope it'd get emptied - which it did this Tuesday. I don't mind what day my bins get emptied but it'd be nice to know in advance so I can put them out. I have no problem sorting my rubbish - it's become a habit - but if it all goes to the same place - what's the point?”
by Taxpayer, Mickleover
Thursday, February 11 2010, 1:52PM
“Shakeel and Josephina
remember that these measures were introduced under a previous administration in response to central government taxation of land fill which I think is £40 a ton. Which ever party is in power we would still have to recycle. Think about the guys out there doing to job and give them chance to catch up and hopefully it will then all run smoothly.
We are a family of 5 and have no problem in separating our rubbish into black, brown and blue bins which are never full even though there are only emptied every two weeks. I sometimes wonder what people put in their bins if they are always overflowing”
by Steve, Derby
Thursday, February 11 2010, 1:36PM
“Ranjit Banwait is a councillor. He is part of the process. He shouldn't be talking of a 'dirty protest', he should be finding a political solution to this which is what he was elected for.”
by Josephina, Derbyshire
Thursday, February 11 2010, 12:55PM
“Do as we say, not do as we do.
Like many of the thousands of new rules introduced in the last decade, it seems to be more about control than effect.”
by Taxpayer, Mickleover
Thursday, February 11 2010, 12:48PM
“I see that 'Sound Bite' Banwait has had to get his name in the paper again! Why can't he accept what Mr Hopkin has said as it's only a temporary measure for a week or two to catch up on some that were missed when extra homes were added to the scheme and the rounds were changed. Also remember the very bad weather recently will have had a knock on effect. It's just a minor inconvenience - what would he have said if the bins had remained at the roadside for another week or two.
We have a family of five and have no problem in separating the rubbish and even though the black, brown and blue bins are only cleared every two weeks none of them are ever full and so I wonder what some people are putting in them if they are overflowing.”
by Shakeel, Derby
Thursday, February 11 2010, 12:45PM
“Typical of this council.
Incompetent from top to bottom.”
by frank, Littleover
Thursday, February 11 2010, 12:32PM
“I'll recycle anyway. In the hope we're all wrong BUT with amount that everyone recycles (must be enormous ) where does it all go any way? A lot must be land fill.”