I say southwark - fortnightly bin collections

[charliecharlie]

I have spoken to the department dealing with the pilot scheme asked if they could arrange for a questionnaire to be attached to the area of the website related to the scheme, they are going to see if this can be arranged.

I think it is vital to gather ideas and opinions to inform the rolling out of food waste borough wide... one of the concerns ref the idea of having a questionnaire was the "everyone would have different opinions", "exactly!!!" I said... that's the whole point... to gather peoples views, analyse the information and use it to improve the service!! otherwise it's not a pilot scheme!!! it's just a phased introduction... they also told me that the recycling officers had only been briefed to talk to those who were not putting out food waste... surely those who are keen on the principles of recycling will have some valuable ideas to contribute!!!

James... can you see if you can add a bit of weight to the get the questionnaire added?? many thanks CC

[charliecharlie]

I also spoke to the dept about the fact that the caddy they offer has a very large 'footprint' (ie the space it takes up on a worktop is too large for most houses/flats where space if often at a premium).

Out of interests... a very sensible neighbour had heard through the grape vine that I had one of the Southwark caddies and popped in to see it it... when he saw it he just burst out laughing and said "you're kidding!!!"

The Southwark dept. said the caddy had been chosen based on cost but surely location, usage, space, colour, finish, size, etc. should also have been considered

had a quick look online...

this is not perfect but retails at ?4.99 (so trade bulk must be dirt cheap) has a much smaller footprint and is not quite so hideous... there must be options!!! please!!!!

[James Barber]

Hi charliecharlie,

I've had mixed responses when I've enquired about the 'pilot'. When I asked will the 'pilot' stop I was told no. Told its a pilot and later on months 4-6 some analysis of how its going will take place. No public pre 'pilot' consultation and you've now highlighted no plans for resident feedback yet - I was told residents can feed into it while it's happening. You've been told they'll consider a questionairre maybe.

I agree with you that it feels like a phased introduction. But when I asked when will it be rolled out to other areas officers told me no plans. But the newspapers then state council PR say plans for whole borough.

it feels like an octupus with every arm not knowing what the others is doing, thinking or planning.

It is staggering that I've now got casework already about already missed collections, caddies and brown bins not delivered and the council environment emails not being answered.

And the 'pilot' is only 6 days old!

[cate]

James, has the South London press or The Standard done anything on this yet? Might help Southwark to collect their thoughts a bit.

[James Barber]

Hi cate,

Southwark News has done two pieces but has'nt investigated and formed their own opinion. According to the Labour Cabinet member no one in the pilot areas could possibly find the 'pilot' confusing or not know they were in it - somehow not thinking this 'pilot' has been perfectly executed or communicated means I'm somehow against recycling.

[mrsw]

Is anyone else's green already full, with over a week until it's going to collected...?

It seems ridiculous that the pilot is over the winter, I would have thought seeing how it goes over the hot months is vital.

I completely agree with Charlie, this does not seem to be a genuine pilot.

[James Barber]

Hi mrsw,

The previous national governments advice was to start such food waste collections and fortnghitly waste collection going into winter to reduce the risk that smells derail things. To be fair to the pilot the smelly items (excepting disposable nappies) ie food waste are planned to be collected weekly.

[elloriac]

Hi mrsw,

According to the printed schedule we received with our bins etc, there will be a green bin collection this week too, before it switches to fortnightly.

(and no, mine's not anywhere near full)

[The Minkey]

I popped outside on Sunday to find my brown kitchen caddy had been delivered. It's perfect for the job.

[Gussy]

Yes I got mine too and I'm pleased with it. However, I'm still struggling with recycling and now its got a whole lot worse - 2 reasons, the green bins have gone to fortnightly so any overspill from my 2 blue boxes (which regularly happens) now won't fit in my full green bin. And, I've got twice as much waste as we've just had a children's birthday party (left me with about 15 boxes full of paper, card, empty bottles etc). What do I do with these? I don't want to leave them in the front garden. Last time I put out a big cardboard box it got left by the bin men twice. I have no car and have 2 babies all day so can't go far to a recycling point with a double buggy. Guess I just have to feed it into the bins over the next few weeks and hope I haven't made a nice rat's house in the garden!.....shame I could have put it all in a nice big blue bin.

[tomchance]

Gussy,

In the literature we got through the door the council said they would now collect all the recylcables you put out even if they don't fit in the bin (which seems pretty commonsense, not sure why they didn't do it before).

So I'd just stack all that party stuff into some bags and pop it on/around your blue bin.

[The Nappy Lady]

My green bin isn't half full even with a two weekly collection. I guess it would be if I had a big spring clean/clear out but never otherwise.

If people are recycling properly what on earth is filling up the green bins? All I've got left is a bit of plastic wrapping & tetra packs, which I recycle when I can but tricky as not on a regular route for me.

I appreciate some have disposable nappies too, but still can't work out what is filling up the bin?

[The Minkey]

Me too, Molly.

[cate]

elloriac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi mrsw,

> According to the printed schedule we received with

> our bins etc, there will be a green bin collection

> this week too, before it switches to fortnightly.

>

>

> (and no, mine's not anywhere near full)

I checked with Southwark and they told me that there wouldn't. The pilot started last week and the next green bin collection is next Thursday. But the food waste and recycling will be collected. My green bin used to be collected on a Wednesday and then the recycling on a Thursday. Garden waste was every other week.

[James Barber]

The 'pilot' scheme is one team dedicated to it. So different areas have collectinos different days. The 'pilot area centred on Friern Road has a different colleaction date to the 'pilot' area centred on Ady's Road (ie just north of Goose Green).

So if you do quote colelction days hear please do say which area you're stating this for else you'll cause more confusion that clarity.

Hi Nappy Lady & The Minkey, If you green bin is bigger than you need even with fortngihtly collections ask for a smaller 180 Litere bin rather than the standard 240L bin OR see if you can share with a neighbour.

Hi Gussy, Could you try putting out all that extra wrapping paper and cardboard in plastic bags to protect it from the rain while getting it out of your house? If you're still stuck potentially ask for a bulk collection.

[intexasatthe moment]

James ,just had a phone call from Southwark/Veolia to let me know that I wouldn't be getting a blue bin .

I was offered another blue box ,which I declined and explained why .

Not to worry - sure I'll cope !

[cate]

I'm in the north of Goose Green area.

[binary_star]

Hmmm, our household rubbish was not collected this week so I'm guessing we're in the pilot too. Weirdly though, we have had no additional containers (caddies/bins/bags/boxes) of any description. Mind you, a month or so before I even heard of the pilot I requested a brown bin for garden waste which was never delivered. Seems like a good scheme in theory and the lack of extra containers has not actually caused any problems yet, so reserving judgement.

[Southwark Council]

Hi All,

I've read your comments with great interest.

Whilst many of your questions have already received answers, one that I was keen to address was whether this was in fact a phased introduction. To confirm, this is just a six month pilot which will be reviewed at the end to see if rolling it out further is feasible. Feedback from residents will be crucial in this decision so we really appreciate your input so far.

We?ve been as thorough as possible in informing homes of the changes and how it will work, with letters, leaflets, surgeries, and planned house visits where necessary but if anyone has any outstanding questions on the scheme please do get in touch with the team. We're keen to smooth out any issues as quickly as possible.

The best way to do this is by emailing [email protected] or calling the customer service team on 020 7525 2000.

Whilst we have already taken comments posted here on board, if you'd like to submit something more formally, a questionnaire is now available online and won't take more than a couple of minutes to complete. Please do pass this on to anyone else participating in the scheme that you think would be willing to share their experience so far.

Councillor Barrie Hargrove

Cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling

[Fuschia]

James Barber Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> I've now had a more senior council officer tell me

> the policy hasn't changed and the policy on blue

> wheelie bins has been explained as:

> Residents can have a blue wheelie bin IF the

> property has been divided into flats.

Did you put in a request for me James? We do live in a property divided into flats...

[intexasatthe moment]

Fuschia - I too live in a property divided into flats ,but no dice re blue bin .

Which is a shame .

I'd have done without the small brown bin that was delivered unasked and if it were a choice btwn blue wheelie and kitchen caddy ,I'd also have coped without kitchen caddy ( would have bought a little countertop bin myself ).

[Gubodge]

The new scheme is working very well for us so far. Family of four, we produce approx two blue boxes of recycling, and 1 or 2 caddies full of food waste a week. Any vegetable matter has always gone on the compost heap anyway, and it's wonderful to not have to stick all the bones and small peoples leftovers in with the normal rubbish.

I'm very much enjoying not having to sort the recycling and our 'normal' waste is down from not much to even less, around 2/3rds of a bin bag for the fortnight.

When my youngest was in disposable nappies we would put them into a lined, tighly lidded bin next to the changing table, and when that was full the bag would be tied and added to the kitchen bin bag to go out in the wheely. So every nappy was double bagged and there was little discernable smell, even in the hottest weeks of summer.

[James Barber]

Hi Fuschia,

I did request blue wheelie bin for you.

When I tried PM'ing you it said your mailbox was full . SO I posted answer some time ago.

Sorry.

At last night Environemnt scurtiny committee explored blue wheelie bins. Officers would prefer whole areas to have blue wheelie bins or blue bins and boxes. Clearly the combination would work much better as we'll never reach consensus about one or other. Apparently in the 'pilot' areas that are all now under co mingling the operatives take a 'captive' blue wheelie bin around emptying blue boxes and bins into it and then having this lifted into the co mingled rubbish truck.

Apparently coping with blue wheelie bins and blue boxzes and bags would be overly confusing for them and less efficient.

Hence, why some of the promised blue wheelie bins agreed have now been withdrawn.

Personally, I think the operatives are intelligent enough to cope with both receptacles now and it would boost recycling.

Hi Binary_star,

You need to order the extra receptacles if your in the 'pilot' areas.

[boomerang]

I am a little confused as to why Southwark needs to make recycling so complicated. There are more bins outside my property than I care to have. Why is it not simple enough to issue everyone 1 Brown bin for garden/food waste, 1 Green bin for plastic/paper and other recyclables and 1 Blue/Black or even Green bin with either blue/black lid for all other waste making the blue boxes which are too small in any case obsolete?

This means we'll only need 3 wheely bins easily identified by their colour/lid as to what waste is put in them and their collection surely made easier.

I currently have the kitchen caddy next to my blue bag sitting next to my conventional bin making recycling easy as once the blue bag is full I just empty it outside as I do food and other waste. Whilst in my opinion the brown bins are far too big for the food waste element, in summer I use the brown bin heavily for garden waste. The blue boxes are my gripe as they fill up too quickly and tend to overspill and it is neither an option or my intention to fill up plastic bags of recyclables to put near the boxes as I do not want to encourage foxes/cats to rummage and make a mess of my front yard. I do believe we have been told paper waste can be placed in the brown bins if the blue boxes are full. I just think this causes confusion to many people and my suggestion (and probably many others too) will simplify what should be an easy task.

I hope that Southwark will see sense and implement an easier method than what we have currently.

[James Barber]

You might want to delay responding to the online questionairre highlighted yesterday. Its questions are missing some options. For example it asks how you're recycling but fails to give blue bags option. It doesn't highlight how people with nappies are finding the scheme.

It also doesn't ask whether you'd find it easier using blue wheelie bin rather than blue boxes and bags which is a real missed opportuntiy.

I have asked if the survey can be changed and await a response.