Some observations about recycling centre

ON September 30 I finally decided to recycle an old double mattress that stared at me every time I used my garage.

After spending some time squeezing it into my car I then drove to the recycling site at Newtown.

The chap at the entrance asked me for my appointment time. Mystified, I was then lectured on procedure for recycling and that I had to leave the site immediately. I offered to book an appointment but to no avail.

Sorry, you’ll have to exit the site before you can do that and by the way your vehicle is being monitored by CCTV.

On leaving I noticed that there was only one vehicle offloading so I had a lightbulb moment.

Pulling upside the driver he very kindly offered to include my mattress in his load.

Whoa! One of the operatives seeing what was about to happen rushed over and told us very forcibly that this was unacceptable.

His reason... it just is!

Looking directly at me he said that I had already been told to leave the premises so please leave now. Is there absolutely no flexibility, I asked.

No. We can’t let you do it. I dutifully left, returned home, booked an appointment, careful to note that I needed residential ID, and said farewell to the mattress 90 minutes later.

Some observations

1. A banner at the site exit stated that the staff been abused 137 times.

2. Surely a measure of common sense could have applied in my case.

3. The staff were zealous and unsympathetic. Why haven’t they been given the authority to treat a so-called problem on its merits? (See 2)

4. Out of the wrong hands the mattress may well have subsequently been laid to rest at the side of the road.

5. Has the West Berks area seen an increase in fly-tipping?

6. Having established an appointment system, why is there no need for a client to state the volume and type to be recycled? There could conceivably be periods of the site being under used, as it appeared to be when I first visited. 7. Why is there an appointment system?

FRANK EDGAR

Newbury