To be annoyed with council's '3 black bin bag' rule?

[sallymanda]

Now, don't get me wrong, I do recycle and -9 times out of 10- usually manage to put out only one bin bag out a fortnight.

Yesterday, a leaflet came from council stating that no household should put out more than 3 black sacks a fortnight (for those that don't know, black sacks=non-recyclables).

They say that people can have an exemption from this but there are so many problems with this in practicality:

1, How will bin men know?

2, What about houses of multiple occupation? Flats etc.

3, How much detail must be given to have an exemption? What if a person suffers from an illness that means they cannot control bladder/bowels, do they have to tell the council such personal information? Or, as this is mumsnet, have to put out nappies? Which, after all, can't be recycled?

I am also at the tone of the leaflet- you'd swear that people were committing murder not putting out their rubbish!!

I mean people PAY council tax- it's not as if it's a free collection service.

All this will mean is rubbish lying around the streets.

I'm annoyed (as you can probably guess!) AIBU?

the public bins? - again tripe and unworkable en mass - if everyone used public bins rather than waste collection/taking to waste centre then the situation would be untenable for everyone.

just make recycling easier and waste collection workable.

If you don't want to consider any solutions, then just put up with it

Loath as I am to say anything good about South Cambridgeshire District Council, we have a really workable waste arrangement. You get a black bin, or two if you have 6 or more people in the house. You also get a green bin, and a blue bin. One week the black bin is emptied. The next week the green and blue bins are emptied. Practically every recyclable known to man goes in the blue bin, and garden waste and cardboard go in the green bin. If you have large items such as sofas and washing machines, they will collect them for around £30 for 2 or 3 big items. If you have masses of waste after a move or clear out, again they will collect this for an extra fee. Our recycling rates are really high and often we don't fill our black bins as a result of their recycling policy. We also make a lot of money back from the recycling which has paid for a lot of leisure facilities in the area. It really works.

I only but wish that we had wheelie bins here, but Birmingham City Council still haven't decided whether to go for the wheelie bin option. Which I think is ridiculous. Practically most other Councils have done this and it works very well, and is much easier. I can only keep my fingers crossed that they decide to go for the wheelie bins.

But for years, the only option we have had are recycling boxes and bin bags. Both are a PITA, but what else can we do? It is no wonder we are 308 on that list you posted maddening.

Boffinmum is your black bin full size or half size? If full size, then it sounds like it works really well

they weren't solutions though even remotely and if a council has an ill-thought out scheme then why should anyone have to put up with it.

Fair point about the council, so what do you want to do about the situation?

being that I don't have the issue that others with awful waste systems do I won't be doing anything - my council has a fab system - it is for those with crap systems to do - I can't go running around the country on a waste mission. I recycle far more than goes in household waste so personally am doing as much as I can.

if my situation were one of an awful system I would probably contsct local councillors and attend open council meetings asking that the system be addressed and see if there was local support for a change.

Great that your council has a good system

It's full size, and you can buy an extra one, about 7/8 sized, if you have more than 5 people in the household. It costs £20. It really is a very workable system - I have no complaints at all.

Ultimately I think if there hasn't been investment in waste recycling plants locally, that will make it hard for people to recycle properly and they shouldn't really have to faff about doing it. The reason our system works is that practically everything goes in one recycling bin, with paper in a crate that fits in the top, and batteries in a bag that sticks inside the lid. In my kitchen I have two big Brabantia bins, one for landfill, one for recycling, and a Poundland holder thing for paper for recycling. That makes it really easy to put out, as well.