Intimidating tip staff left carer feeling ‘terrified’
SHE CLAIMS SHE WAS TOLD TO DUMP HER RUBBISH IN STREET
A WOMAN who went to Calverton tip says she felt “absolutely intimidated” by staff who she claims told her to go dump her rubbish elsewhere.
Buffy Iles, of Netherfield, is a fulltime carer and went to drop off eight to ten bags of rubbish at the recycling centre on August 11.
The 45-year-old now says she is terrified to go back and felt that the staff publicly embarrassed her.
She said: “When I got there, the guy approached me and asked what I was doing.
“I said the bags were for general waste and he told me, ‘no, no.’
“He made me rip these bags open with my bare hands in front of everyone.
“He continued to make comments at me, saying ‘go and dump your rubbish outside your new house.’
“He said I had to go home because I wouldn’t put up with his patronising comments.”
Buffy – who suffers from severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder – started to become uncomfortable and explained how what he was asking to do was fly-tip, which is a crime.
She then went back into her car to calm down and claims the staff then tried to open her boot up to put her ripped rubbish bags back in her vehicle.
She added: “At this point, I’m pouring with sweat and my anxiety is peaking.
“I just wanted to go there and get rid of the waste.
“The staff grabbed my bags and tried to force my boot open.
“The guy said his job was babysitting customers like me.
“At this point, I needed to go.” Miss Iles then explained how the staff took photos of her car and said they shouted they would report her for fly-tipping.
She said: “I felt so intimidated. Everybody is staring and nobody else was challenged with what they were chucking away.
“I was embarrassed and in such a state.”
Due to Buffy’s anxiety disorder, it takes her a long time to prepare herself to go anywhere new.
She added: “I’m absolutely terrified and I will never ever go back. It was just awful.”
Miss Iles has reported the incident to Nottinghamshire County Council and was told that private company Veolia employees the staff at Calverton Recycling Centre.
A Veolia spokesperson said: “We expect the highest standards from our team members and take any report of this nature extremely seriously. “Our team members also have the right to carry out their work and provide reasonable instructions or advice to site users.
“An immediate investigation into this incident has been launched and appropriate action will be taken in line with our procedures following the outcome.”
I’m absolutely terrified and I will never ever go back. It was just awful
Buffy Iles