Lack of collections, residents can’t access bins, and refuse collectors can’t work lorry
Communal bins at flats in Bridge of Allan have been hit by a succession of problems.
Local businessman Ian Rice says keen recyclers at the Munro Gate flats risk becoming “disillusioned” by the bins chaos.
Not only have there been issues with emptying, but flatholders have been struggling to even access the bins at times because of how they are being put back in the storage area.
“The new system of large communal bins works very well and it would appear that the recycling rate for cardboard, cans, plastics etc has almost doubled in volume,” said Mr Rice. “However, the big letdown is Stirling Council waste services department’s failure to empty the containers at the proper time.
“Three weeks ago the council waste service team wheeled the large bins into the car park but could not get the bin lorry to operate. It appeared to be a lorry that was five years old and the staff did not know how to use it. They disappeared leaving the bins in the car park then returned an hour later and emptied the bins and returned them to the store the wrong way round. As a result no one could open them.”
Although the matter was rectified after a phone call to the council, who also apologised for the error, Mr Rice says he has since had to contact the council on three occasions over the failure to empty the bins.
Last week he said while the grey bins were emptied, five out of the seven general waste bins were replaced the wrong way round in one area, leaving the other area completely empty. The blue recycling and brown food waste bins had also not been emptied.
Mr Rice told the Observer: “Things were sorted again after a phone call and Councillor Jim Thomson has been really helpful but when it happened a few weeks ago the council said it wouldn’t happen again and it has. People at Munro Gate are recycling but they are going to get disillusioned if this continues.”
The bin lorry was five years old and staff did not appear to know how to use it