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Original poster

Fortnightly Bin Collection

67 replies

tubismybub · 10/05/2007 11:38

Just curious on peoples thoughts and opinions on this. Personally I don't have a problem with it as I think it encourages people to recylcle more and think more about there waste.

Before DS came along we recylced everything and had a composter we use to put out 2 bin bags evry fortnight. Since we stopped composting and have had ds this has gone up enormously so I'm trying to get back on track and have just ordered a composter and will continue to recycle and hopefully get back down to a couple of bags of rubbish.

So if you strongly object to fortnightly collections what are your reasons?

OP posts:
nickytwotimes · 10/05/2007 11:39

we have fortnightly collections - have done for years. we have never had problems - i think it is great.

secondclasscitizen · 10/05/2007 11:40

id on't and i expect it anytime soon. i amm quite proud ofmyself actually - my kitchen looks like a mad old cat womans house with stored boxes of cans, glass and paper.

EllieKthePA · 10/05/2007 11:43

we have fortnightly collections and i have no problem with it either

nickytwotimes · 10/05/2007 11:45

lol secondclass. mine used to but i now have my very own indoor recycling box in the kitchen. anthea turner, eat your heart out!

Original poster
tubismybub · 10/05/2007 11:46

Our local paper and some national papers are going mad with a campaign against fortnightly collections we've had them a long time now and never give it a second thought.

It concerns me that newspapers will create concern where there wasn't any and we'll either see weekly collections that cost us the tax payer or a loss of recycling facilities to compensate for weekly collections

OP posts:
MellowMa · 10/05/2007 11:47

Message withdrawn

expatinscotland · 10/05/2007 11:48

I think it's a bad idea unless the system is already in place to recycle everything that can be.

Also, what about the increasing numbers of folks who live in flats and/or homes with no garden or outdoor space?

Can't compost.

Original poster
tubismybub · 10/05/2007 11:52

I do agree that those in flats need better facilities for recycling and given that all the occupants rubbish will be stored together that's a lot of rubbish to sit around for two weeks so yes weekly collections shlould remain in those areas. But surely those in houses with garden have no real need to complain?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 10/05/2007 11:53

It would be a real health problem in our area, which is extremely densely populated flats with no outdoor space/communal gardens.

RATS, RATS, RATS.

portonovo · 10/05/2007 11:54

We still have weekly ones here, but only fill about a third of our bin each week (5 of us), so wouldn't mind it being fortnightly.

However, I do think councils must make recycling and waste reduction so easy for people that it becomes second nature. That has to go hand in hand with cutting collections.

LazyLine · 10/05/2007 11:55

I don't have a problem with the idea in theory. However, I would hope that before it is implemented in my area that they start recycling plastic.

KTeePee · 10/05/2007 11:57

I wish they would collect the recycling stuff every week - we often take it to the recycling centre ourselves in between as we get through so much milk, etc. There is also the issue of space to keep all these huge plastic containers - we have a small garden. And definitely the RAT thing - we are still on weekly collections here but I have seen a rat scampering about the top of the high street in broad daylight....

Original poster
tubismybub · 10/05/2007 11:57

Ah I see is that the issue then that people are having fortnightly collections but not recycling for plastics etc? We have a collection for plastics and paper so maybe that's why it doesn't seem so bad to me.

OP posts:
southeastastra · 10/05/2007 11:58

doesn't bother me atm but come summer i imagine the green bin will cause some problems, flies in it atm. maybe if they could collect every week in the summer months.

Original poster
tubismybub · 10/05/2007 12:00

I have to admit that we have mountains of plastics for recycling before the collection comes round.

OP posts:
tarantula · 10/05/2007 12:00

Personally I'd prefer if they cut our council tax and we paid for individual bin collections like they do in Ireland. Then we'd only have to pay for the rubbish we need taking away.
And if people had to pay for each rubbish bin then they'd start to shop more wisely re packaging which would also cut back on waste and they'd also recycle more.

Cant see the problem with fortnightly bin collections tbh but I'd prefer if when doing this they upped the recycle bin collections to weekely and also started collecting glass.

expatinscotland · 10/05/2007 12:01

There are quite a few councils that can't or won't recycle plastics or even tins.

They need to have it ALL IN PLACE AND RUNNING before cutting collections or they're going to run into health/disease issues.

Flies and rats do carry some pretty vile diseases.

Original poster
tubismybub · 10/05/2007 12:02

yes i think weekly recycling would help and i do think that charging people for the amount of waste is a good idea providing that council tax is reduced

OP posts:
NuttyMuffins · 10/05/2007 12:03

I don't have a problem with this if they are going to give me a wheelie bin as a normal sized dustbin would not hold 2 weeks rubbish.

Taylormama · 10/05/2007 12:03

We have fortnightly collections and i do object:
my council tax is horrendously high and i think having my rubbish collected weekly is not unreasonable
I already recycle everything i can and have done for years so why should i be penalised because others don't
There is nowhere adequate to store my bags of recycling etc - they are an eyesore
in the summer bins will SMELL!!!! 2 weeks worth of rotting food, nappies etc etc and it is also a health hazard

Our council did a survey when they introduced the new collection and there was such an outcry that they will be collecting rubbish weekly over the summer

tissy · 10/05/2007 12:05

No problem with fortnightly collections, at all, but do think that Councils should give wheelie bins to those who don't have them already , as its much more difficult for vermin to get into them.

We have our paper wheelie bin collected once a month, and our general household waste bin every fortnight. We also have a brown bin for garden waste (but not kitchen compost) which we don't use. The only problem is that our council won't give us a black box for the collection of tins and bottles, as we don't have a kerb!

isaidno · 10/05/2007 12:06

We have fortnightly collections, and I have no problem with it.

Expat makes a good point about flats etc - it must be more difficult then.

What really bugs me is the hundreds of people in our area who seem incapable of sorting their waste. Loads of recycling bins don't get emptied because people are putting in thick cardboard / carrier bags / any old rubbish.

tissy · 10/05/2007 12:09

But, Taylormamma, if you compost your kitchen waste, wash out tins etc, and WASH nappies , there is nothing in the bin that will smell. We've had fortnightly collections for a couple of years and it isn't a problem. Not a health hazard at all- you open the lid, chuck in a bag, close it again, what's unhealthy about that?

You can get some very nice and cheap recycling bins from IKEA, B+Q, Homebase, which can be stacked and keep waste very tidy. We use them for glass and paper.

southeastastra · 10/05/2007 12:11

the problem i have is the waste from the rabbit hutches, i can't sort out that much hay and poop haha!

isaidno · 10/05/2007 12:17

Can't you compost the hay and sawdust?

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