THE GREAT SCOTTISH BIN REVOLT
As council set to become first in Britain to empty dustbins MONTHLY, 17,500 families unite in protest
THOUSANDS of families have staged a revolt against Scots councils’ abolition of weekly bin collections. With one local authority set to become the first in the UK to introduce monthly bin collections, families are fighting back over fears of rats, fly-tipping and stinking rubbish piling up in the streets.
Petitions set up across Scotland calling for the re-introduction of more frequent rubbish collections have already gathered more than 17,000 signatures.
Falkirk Council will become the first British local authority to introduce monthly collections in October.
A small-scale trial of monthly collections is under way in Fife, a move that has forced more than 160 households to plead for extra bins or more frequent collections.
Despite this, Fife Council is understood to be determined to bring four-weekly pick-ups to every home – a policy one councillor described as ‘irresistible’.
Weekly bin collections have now been
axed by every mainland Scots council, with five set to empty bins every three weeks and one doing so already.
Scottish Conservative local government spokesman Graham Simpson said: ‘This situation is getting out of hand, with numerous petitions across Scotland highlighting taxpayers’ frustrations.
‘The SNP must get a grip of the issue because the public deserve a much better refuse service than this.’
In Fife, more than 5,200 people have signed a petition to stop monthly bin collections being rolled out when the pilot scheme ends in September. It states: ‘This measure will increase fly-tipping, vermin, odours, harmful bacteria and insect infestation in areas where our children play.’
A second petition, to scrap the trial, gathered more than 2,800 signatures.
In Falkirk, a petition against the looming monthly collections has gathered 2,795 signatures. Elaine Moir, 53, from Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, who presented it to the council and Scottish Government, said: ‘I am a full-time carer for my husband and I don’t have time to recycle in all the separate bins or take rubbish to the dump.
‘I had to pay £60 for a private bin and pay £15 a month to have it emptied. The bin collections proposal is just another cutback and it will make people’s lives more miserable and difficult.’
Clackmannanshire is looking to roll out three-weekly pick-ups later this year, with 1,245 people opposing the move.
A petition against East Renfrewshire’s plan to collect rubbish every three weeks has 908 supporters. Its creator, train driver Marco Galasso, said: ‘Most people who live here have families and the size of the wheelie bins, whether you recycle or not, is not adequate. This plan is going to attract
‘This will attract a lot of vermin’
a lot of vermin. Our council tax is not cheap and if they are going to reduce the service we get, they should reduce that too.’
North Lanarkshire Council is considering three-weekly collections scheduled by next April. Argyll and Bute Council, which says residents will receive information on threeweekly pick-ups in the coming months, has seen 1,002 people sign a petition against council cuts. East Ayrshire Council, which already collects bins every three weeks, saw 3,400 people sign a petition in advance of the change. Aberdeenshire Council, which is considering three-weekly collections, has no residents’ petition.
While several petitions countrywide have closed, having been set up some months ago, some campaigners will consider reopening them for more objectors to sign.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘It is for local councils to decide on the most appropriate services for their areas in consultation with residents.’
A Falkirk Council spokesman said it will continue collecting food waste weekly, adding: ‘We are aware of public concerns but want to reassure people that everything will be done to minimise any disruption.
‘Support will be in place to assist anyone who needs it.’
John Wincott of Fife Council said: ‘Although a petition was set up some time ago, the resident who initiated it doesn’t live in a trials area so hasn’t been affected.’ He said concerns were being listened to, with people surveyed on their views, adding: ‘No decision will be made to change our bin schedules until all the information has been analysed.’
Katie Kelly, head of housing at East Ayrshire Council, said more than 75 information sessions had allowed residents to discuss concerns, adding: ‘As the roll-out continued (they) really got behind our aspirations to make East Ayrshire, cleaner and greener.’
An East Renfrewshire Council spokesman said larger recycling bins would cut residents’ rubbish, adding: ‘The three-weekly collection will put East Renfrewshire in line with the services provided by other councils.’
Argyll and Bute Council said it would provide extra capacity for large families, those with nappies and medical needs. A spokesman added: ‘For every tonne of waste put to landfill we have to pay a tax of around £80. This is money which could be spent on essential public services.’
Clackmannanshire Council says on its website that it is wasting money collecting bins which are not full. It adds: ‘The experiences of other councils who have made a similar change also identified there was an increase in recycling when they moved to a three-weekly green bin collection.’
A North Lanarkshire Council spokesman said: ‘The council’s waste strategy is driven by the requirement to increase recycling within North Lanarkshire.’
Philip McKay, head of waste services at Aberdeenshire Council, said it has boosted its recycling rate to 45 per cent but will not hit the national target of 60 per cent by 2020. He added: ‘A wide range of options are currently being considered.’
A spokesman for council umbrella body Cosla said: ‘All residents are provided with sufficient bin capacity for their waste and, provided recycling containers are used and food waste bins are used, there should be no issues with over-full bins.’