Reactions to new waste system

There was a big response on our Facebook page to last Wednesday’s Observer in which a member of the council’s management team complained that binmen were partly responsible for the problems surrounding the introduction of the new waste collection system.

Jon Veitch said: “You couldn’t even write this. Incompetence throughout; no project management, no transfer plan, no risk assessments, increase in manual handling risk hence bins everywhere and fundamentally no leadership. If I was responsible for this I would have been sacked. And now I see tacky yellow and pink A4 papers being stuck on bins telling folk to remove their bins from the roadside or for incorrectly filling the bins. Our city looks disgraceful.”

Jennifer Pollock added: “I know this is the bin mens fault. So fed up of how they throw the bins back on pavements after emptying – causing us to have to walk on roads. This (picture enclosed) was this morning walking to work. I had just moved two bins to get past then and walked into this.”

Douglas McKay: “Just sack the lazy xxxx binmen who dont take your buckets when the lid is only a few centimetres higher than flush. They play the system to get overtime and phone in sick yet still get big fat bonuses. They’re worse than the bankers.”

James Marshall replied: “It’s a management directive that the bin must be flush; It’s a management directive that no bags are left at the side of the bin to be lifted. Failure to comply with those work directives can lead to dismissal. As far as overtime is concerned, the change in working hours is eliminating that. You need to get your facts right before posting on Facebook.”