The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
ANGER OVER ‘INSULTING’ BIN STICKERS
City council says sorry as it emerges ‘green messages’ are not recyclable
Residents were angered after ‘insulting and derogatory’ stickers labelling them as ‘wasters’ were stuck on their black bins in a campaign to encourage recycling - despite the stickers not being recyclable.
The stickers, which have been placed on bins in Orton Malbourne and Sugar Way, are part of a scheme by WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), a charity which aims to encourage people to recycle.
The pilot scheme is being tried in Peterborough before possibly being extended elsewhere in the country, and has also seen green stickers with the word ‘recycler’ placed on green recycling bins this week.
But residents in Sugar Way reacted angrily to seeing the red stickers - Mark Mason said: “Waster is a derogatory word and I found it most insulting,” while Connor Grove added: “It’s quite insulting considering we recycle as much as we are allowed to recycle.”
Fletton and Woodston ward councillor Andy Coles said: “You couldn’t make this up if you tried, could you?
“WRAP fails to see the hypocrisy of using non recyclable materials in its own campaign to encourage recycling.
“Words almost fail me.” City Councillor Jullie Howell, who represents the Green Party said: “Given that our residents are already pretty clued in when it comes to recycling I’d like to see a more sophisticated plan that reaches those
people who regularly contaminate their green bins, rather than preaching to the converted with materials that are not recyclable and add to the problem rather than solving it.”
The scheme also sees more traditional images on stickers being tested in the Castor, Ailsworth and Hampton areas, with a green sticker including an arrow and the word ‘recycling’ for the green bins, and an image of a bin lorry and the word ‘rubbish’ on a red sticker for black bins.
In total 7,000 homes will
have the stickers placed on their bins.
A Peterborough City Council spokesman said they had spent no money on the scheme.
He added: “We acknowledge that the emoji stickers went out in the wrong order and we will continue to monitor reaction from residents. We apologise for any offence caused.
“The campaign is a six month trial and the findings will be published in spring next year.”
‘You couldn’t make this up if you tried, could you?’ Cllr Andy Coles