‘SHAMBLES’

This was the scene in Wildmill on Tuesday afternoon, 48 hours after launch of borough’s new rubbish regime Meanwhile, some homes are STILL waiting for new bags Council says ‘it’s teething problems and bear with us’

IT’S been planned for months but many people have STILL not received the blue rubbish bags or recycling containers needed for a controversial new waste scheme that started on Monday.

It looks like they will have to continue to use black sacks for the time being, despite the new see-through blue bags being a vital part of Bridgend council’s strategy.

The new waste contract with Kier caps most households in Bridgend county at two rubbish bags per fortnight in a bid to increase recycling.

All households should have been issued with new recycling containers, food waste bags and a roll of blue bags.

Residents who signed up for the absorbent hygiene product (AHP)/ nappy collection service should also have been issued with purple bags.

But many people have told the Glamorgan Gazette they have not received the right bags and phone calls and emails to Kier and Bridgend council go unanswered.

As many collection days have also been changed, some residents have expressed concerns that they now face a one-off three-week wait between rubbish pick ups.

One resident of the Wildmill estate in Bridgend said on Monday that no one there has received the blue bags, despite contractor Kier “insisting that we have”.

The 24-year-old mum of one, who does not want to be named, also said she cannot put her recycling out for collection either as the communal recycling bins they have instead of individual containers are “rammed” as they have not been emptied and are now overflowing.

“The whole of Wildmill is complaining to the council,” she said.

“The recycling bins are not being emptied enough and there is rubbish blooming everywhere.

“Everyone is putting black bags out.”

She added: “I’m sick of it. It’s so wrong. It seems Wildmill is forgotten about.”

Sarah-Jayne Davies, from Pencoed, said: “Still waiting for the purple bags. I emailed a few weeks ago and didn’t get a response so I rang (spoke) to someone didn’t really seem to care and was told ‘they’ll be with you shortly’. Shortly? How long is a piece of string?”

These were some of the 200-plus comments posted on the Glamorgan Gazette’s Facebook page on Monday after we asked residents to tell us their experiences.

Michelle Dollard, from Kenfig Hill, said: “Sick of emailing and ringing! Still haven’t had a food bin or nappy bag! So annoying!!!”

Kelly Logsdail-Parry posted: “Countless phone calls (not helpful at all), countless emails. Now had a reply but still awaiting all new containers and blue bags.”

And Carly Coles said that as she has not yet received her purple nappy bags “despite ringing the order line over eight times”, she was told to put the nappies in a blue bag.

“Guess what? The refuse collectors failed to take it. This is an absolute farce,” she added.

Tania Baker commented: “I’ll be buying more black bin liners and chucking all my rubbish in them as haven’t received any of the new recycling bags, boxes, caddies or blue bin liners ... absolute shambles!! I didn’t even receive a large food caddy in the first place years ago anyway – Wildmill area.”

Victoria Michael said: “I haven’t received our purple bags (Ogmore Vale) and will have more than the two-bag limit as our collection has changed which means they should of gone today but we (a family of four) need to wait another week!”

Kirsty McGuinness said she thinks the council should abandon the new scheme “until everyone is sorted”.

“What an utter joke this system is, every household should have been given new of everything and also the purple bags and garden waste bags it would of saved majority of these problems then,” she said.

“I think they should abandon this until everyone is sorted. I’m still awaiting part of it as well.