Lockdown spring cleans puts strain on bin collections
Spring cleaning by households in lockdown is putting extra pressure on bin collections. Refuse services are carrying on as normal during the coronavirus crisis, but Maidstone council has noted an increase in waste being left for kerbside pick-up since the nation was confined to home last month. They believe house-proud residents are taking this unusual time as an opportunity to de-clutter - leading to an increase in rubbish being put out for the bin men.
The council will continue collecting any excess recycling households are generating. However, bin men have been told to leave some waste behind, which has angered one Maidstone resident.
Chris Twyman, a self-employed construction manager, is upset extra rubbish he and his two children have produced since lockdown began will not be taken.
The 45-year-old, of Loose Road, said: “There’s a lot more waste being created at home, but they left my bin. Their view is it’s nothing to do with them, but I can see there being a build up of waste at homes across Maidstone.”
Writing in response to a complaint from Mr Twyman, Graham
Gosden, waste manager at Maidstone Borough Council (MBC), said: “The crews are instructed not to remove excess black bag waste, but we have asked they continue to remove excess recycling, provided it is sensibly presented in a cardboard box or similar.
“Over the last week we have noted an increase in waste tonnage as some residents take the opportunity for a clear out. “We are asking residents resist this urge as our rounds are designed around the usual waste tonnage, a considerable increase will reduce the speed of collection, increase the number of trips per day and reduce the number of properties each crew can service each day.
“The resulting delays may have service impacts.”
This situation is not helped by the fact Kent County Council’s household waste and recycling centres (HWRC), such as the Burial Ground Lane tip in Tovil, are closed until further notice thanks to the Covid-19 outbreak.