Recycle row
HOUSEHOLDERS are at odds over impending changes to domestic rubbish collection about which they say they have not been consulted.
But The Extra can confirm East Renfrewshire council plans new cleansing arrangements come autumn and will leaflet residents then.
From October, the present weekly domestic waste uplift (grey bins) will slip to fortnightly, and food leftovers will be combined with garden rubbish in brown bins for weekly collection.
ERC insists the changes, to be implemented across homes that currently have wheeled bins, are vital if it is to meet recycling targets and cut landfill.
Family man Michael Kent from Giffnock questions the local authority's logic.
He told The Extra: "The council describes this as a service improvement but I cannot understand how it can justify that claim.
"ERC proposes to collect food waste and garden refuse from brown bins all year round. These bins are the same size as the grey ones.
"During the winter months the brown bins will be virtually empty, yet the grey ones for non-recyclable refuse will be overflowing. This doesn't make sense".
Mr Kent said his five-strong family "recycles everything we can" and takes cardboard and other non-collected recyclables to Greenhags recycling centre. "Our grey bin is usually about three quarters full, and I doubt even five per cent of this is food waste".
He added: "If this change takes place I'll end up storing bin bags in my garage and driving to Greenhags to dump them. Service improvement? I think not".
But not everyone is unhappy at the prospect of change. Newton Mearns mother-of-two Samantha Stirling told The Extra: "Everyone should do their bit to help reduce the amount of waste we're sending to landfill.
"Obviously it's hard for some people who have been in their routine for so long to change the way they put their rubbish out.
"I've been recycling for a while and it helps that at school my children are also learning about how important it is".
Eddie Phillips, ERC's environment convener, said: "So far 21 councils have introduced similar changes to their waste collection services and it is time for East Renfrewshire to play its part.
"Making small changes can make a huge difference to the environment.
"We're now asking everyone to do a bit more to increase our recycling rates.
"Our campaign will demonstrate to all our communities that it has never been easier to recycle household waste, including food, paper, cans, plastic bottles and glass".
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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