Families kick up stink at four-weekly bin service
Fears fall in pick-ups to every three or four weeks in some areas will increase health risks and bad smells
More than one million households are being forced to accept bin collections every three or four weeks, because councils are trying to make them recycle more. The Daily Telegraph can reveal that at least 18 councils have moved or will shortly move to three-weekly rubbish collections, and three others have adopted or are trialling four-weekly collections, causing outrage among 2.6 million affected residents.
MORE than one million households are being forced to accept bin collections every three or four weeks, because councils are trying to make them recycle more.
Data compiled by The Daily Telegraph has revealed that at least 18 councils have moved or will shortly move to three-weekly rubbish collections, while a further three have adopted or are trialing four-weekly collections.
The change has caused outrage among the 2.6 million affected residents, who now face smelly, overflowing bins which attract flies and rodents.
Councils said increasing the amount people recycle and financial constraints were the reasons behind reducing the frequency of bin collections. Under European Union targets, the UK must recycle at least half of all household waste by 2020, with the figure currently at 43 per cent. But last night MPS warned three and four-weekly collections were a “health risk”, arguing that EU targets were merely “an excuse” for cuts.
Andrew Brigden, a Conservative MP, said: “Councils can achieve very good recycling rates on fortnightly bin collections, so that can’t be used as an excuse to move to monthly collections.
“Anything less than fortnightly poses a health risk as it will attract pests, and create an undesirable smell. People need to lobby their council and tell them they do not want this.”
Three and four-weekly bin collections were nonexistent until 2014/15, when two councils adopted the system, data from waste charity Wrap show.
Back in 2009-10, some 245 councils organised weekly collections, a figure which has fallen by 34 per cent to 160. Over the same period, the number of fortnightly collections has risen by 38 per cent from 219 to 303 councils.
Falkirk council, which moved to a four-weekly collection in 2016 said the change was to save money and would help reach recycling targets by 2020.
Oldham council, which moved to three-weekly collections in 2016, said the move was “designed to cut waste and to promote recycling”.
Five Somerset councils: Mendip, Sedgemoor, South Somerset, Taunton Deane and West Somerset confirmed they will shortly move from fortnightly to three-weekly collections.
Reports say the situation has become so desperate in some areas, that residents have started burning waste.
A Local Government Association spokesman said: “Collecting and disposing of waste and recycling is the third highest cost service for councils.
“There is no one-size-fits-all solution. What works in an inner city suburb won’t necessarily work in the countryside. Decisions are best made with councils working with residents.”