Abandoned Christmas trees

[Nigello]

I love trees, especially street trees but not Christmas trees left on the pavement because the owners CBA to request a free collection from the council.

I’ve seen primary school children having to walk into the road to avoid these fly-tipped trees.

Get rid of yours responsibly or don’t buy one if you don’t plan to do so.

Ask a neighbour to offer space in their brown bin, for example or take it to a tip - preferably taking a few at a time to extend that spirit of Yuletide togetherness.

(I’ve rung the council environment line to tell them about the SE22-wide problem so not just ranting…)

[Pugwash]

A neighbour put his tree in our garden as thought it would be collected along with rubbish. However it was not. We have said if it is not collected next week he will have to make alternative arrangements.

[sweetgirl]

It’s the council who have been chucking them on the pavement & blocking the walkways!

I came home yesterday to find my neighbours tree outside my door, it looked like it belonged to me, the way it was wedged under my railings!

I had to step over it to pass & I could see it would’ve made it difficult for buggies or wheelchairs to get through.

When I looked around I saw other trees on the road & realised it must’ve been the council.

I grabbed the tree & put it in the road & it was gone by this morning.

[Nigello]

Did you request collection from the council or just bung it on the road and hope for the best?

[Penguin68]

It’s the council who have been chucking them on the pavement & blocking the walkways!

I've not seen them doing that, but I have seen old Xmas trees being blown about by the wind, at least today.

[sweetgirl]

Did you request collection from the council or just bung it on the road and hope for the best?

 

If this question was for me, yes I did bung it in the road!

I realised the council had taken the trees & placed them on pavements for their convenience, ready to be collected!

I didn’t feel it was my place to request collection for something that’s not mine!

[sweetgirl]

It’s the council who have been chucking them on the pavement & blocking the walkways!

I've not seen them doing that, but I have seen old Xmas trees being blown about by the wind, at least today.

 

I have seen the refuse guys in the past years, on lordship lane, they take the trees from gardens & put them in the road, which makes it easier for them to collect I guess.

[DuncanW]

As with previous years, the council will collect old Xmas trees with the normal food and garden cycle. There is no need to request a collection.

[ed_pete]

As with previous years, the council will collect old Xmas trees with the normal food and garden cycle. There is no need to request a collection.

 

The service is uneven. When our bins were collected this week, one of the bin men rang the bell and was at pains to tell us that that should only be collecting trees for free from houses that have a large brown garden/food waste bin (which is chargeable at about £40pa ). We don't have one but he took it anyway perhaps because it wasn't that large.

[Carrie]

As with previous years, the council will collect old Xmas trees with the normal food and garden cycle. There is no need to request a collection.

 

There is now a need to request a collection (this is free) - if you don't the tree won't be collected even if you do pay for a brown bin collection - as I found out to my cost this week!

[Spartacus]

As with previous years, the council will collect old Xmas trees with the normal food and garden cycle. There is no need to request a collection.

 

There is now a need to request a collection (this is free) - if you don't the tree won't be collected even if you do pay for a brown bin collection - as I found out to my cost this week!

According to Southwarks own website you don't need to book a collection unless you don't have a brown bin or food bin

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/christmas-period-tips-reduce-reuse-and-recycle

[ianr]

[Restored to original draft]

At https://www.southwark.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/christmas-period-tips-reduce-reuse-and-recycle there's this (see bottom of post) and a link to an online request form.

==========

"Christmas tree recycling

" We’ll collect and recycle your real Christmas tree for free! Simply remove all decorations, including any pot or stand, and do one of the following:

"Put out your Christmas tree with your food and garden waste containers on your collection day

"If you don’t have a food or garden waste collection, you need to request a free collection

"You can also bring your Christmas tree to our Reuse and Recycling centre "

"Request Christmas tree collection"

Edited January 13, 2023 by ianr

[Penguin68]

I cut up my (8ft) tree and put it in the brown bin. The problem the bin men face is that whole trees are bulky and can actually fill up the bin-lorry - sometimes they use a separate truck for them, but they often can't collect all of them in a single run. Hence they are left lying about. In my experience they do their best, but can be defeated by too many bulky trees left out.

[Earl Aelfheah]

The sheer number of trees on the pavement suggests that the Council have not done a good enough job of making collection easy and / or communicating the process well imo.

[jim_the_chin]

Looking up and down the street it’s pretty clear they are taking small trees only. I’ve emailed our councillor to see if they know what’s going on.

[Nigello]

Tax the trees! Each vendor should add £1 to each tree sold to be given to the council which would then promise to pick up abandoned trees for the whole of January.

If you’ve dumped a tree on the pavement or on the road then you’re really rather selfish.

[Spartacus]

Looking up and down the street it’s pretty clear they are taking small trees only. I’ve emailed our councillor to see if they know what’s going on.

 

I seem to remember reading that if the tree is over 6ft tall you need to cut it in half to make it easier and safer for handling

[enpointe]

I booked a collection on the 6th Jan and put the tree out as advised but it hasn’t been collected. And unlike previous years there was no limit on the size of the tree and no request to cut in half if over a certain size. There’s a real mixture of tree sizes on our road so they just don’t seem to have got around to collecting them yet.

[CPR Dave]

The council make money back on collecting the trees by composting them or not having to buy wood chips. It's profitable for them to take them hence no charge.

[jim_the_chin]

.

[muffins78]

Have these been collected yet? They still outside mine.

[ED - NAGAIUTB]

Tax the trees! Each vendor should add £1 to each tree sold to be given to the council which would then promise to pick up abandoned trees for the whole of January.

If you’ve dumped a tree on the pavement or on the road then you’re really rather selfish.

 

Heaven forbid that Southwark put their LTN millions towards services for their residents. Like making sure the pavements are cleared of leaves in Autumn so the pavements are passable and the drains aren't blocked and Xmas trees are collected. Why should businesses pay more towards our shambolic and corrupt borough?

🤦‍♂️

[sweetgirl]

Tax the trees! Each vendor should add £1 to each tree sold to be given to the council which would then promise to pick up abandoned trees for the whole of January.

If you’ve dumped a tree on the pavement or on the road then you’re really rather selfish.

 

Heaven forbid that Southwark put their LTN millions towards services for their residents. Like making sure the pavements are cleared of leaves in Autumn so the pavements are passable and the drains aren't blocked and Xmas trees are collected. Why should businesses pay more towards our shambolic and corrupt borough?

🤦‍♂️

 

I agree!

Corruption all the way………

It’s those struggling to break even, (if they are?) who get penalised the worst!

[jazzer]

Christmas trees still on pavement close to junction of Woodvale and Langton Rise.