I say southwark - fortnightly bin collections

[James Barber]

Hi boomerang,

I think what they're suggesting is one big bin at the end of roads that are emptied once a day. So whole areas collected very quickly and easilly via few bins. Sounds sensible proposition.

Does anyone have thorough experience of such a scheme - if they do please PM to arrange a chat.

[boomerang]

ok, but would that mean having to walk to the end of the street to empty my garbage? Not something I'd like to do I'm afraid and believe it would be a non starter... why would anyone want garbage collected every day? Just doesn't make sense to me....

[cate]

When I lived in Westminster we had it every day. But I did live in a business district.

[boomerang]

You'd expect Westminster to have daily garbage collection purely for the amount of garbage that is produced by businesses in that area and the volume of people that frequent places like Leicester Sq, Oxford str, Soho etc..... I just don't think you could warrant a daily collection in suburban East Dulwich or indeed many parts of Southwark (save the South bank maybe)

[cate]

Westminster does also cover areas like St. John's Wood and Maida Vale, both residential. Does Lordship Lane get a daily business collection?

[boomerang]

Not sure about Lordship Lane or other areas that have a high density of businesses. My point is I don't think the council could warrant daily collections in residential areas of which most of East Dulwich is.... Lordship Lane is pretty quiet if compared with Maida Vale (which has a higher density of shops/businesses and people). Does Maida Vale and St Johns have a daily garbage collection?

[davidh]

lordship lane does get a daily collection of trade refuse. shopkeepers put the rubbish out as they close and it is gone in the morning. I believe they also do some other trade collections during the day. mind you, the businesses pay thru the nose for the service

[James Barber]

Trade collections are a private arrangement between the businesses and their waste contractor.

Sham that the Sotuh Southwark Business Association (SSBA) have'nt clubbed together all the local businesses as one coordinated contract could make Lordship work better for business recycling and waste collection.

[Southwark Council]

Hi All,

Diverting the conversation slightly but I just wanted to reiterate our previous posts, we do value the feedback this forum provides and continue to keep a close eye on the discussions that are taking place. We'll do everything we can to respond to questions that arise, unless Cllr Barber has already done so of course.

Re the points that have been raised in relation to the questionnaire: It has been designed to capture your thoughts, concerns, and way we can move forward if the scheme is to be continued past the pilot period. We are unable to redesign it at this stage as it will skew the results we do have. As peckhamboy has suggested, please use the 'other comments' section and all text boxes to ensure your viewpoint is fully represented.

We are currently organising a number of other opportunities for you to provide feedback. Once details have been finalised I will make a point of keeping you updated and encourgage you to take up the opporutnity to engage.

Responses are being analysed and we will be responding at the end of the pilot to all those who participate.

If you do have further questions and would like to contact us directly, the best way to do this is by emailing [email protected] or calling the customer service team on 020 7525 2000.

Ian Smith

Acting Head of Sustainable Services

[cate]

boomerang Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Not sure about Lordship Lane or other areas that

> have a high density of businesses. My point is I

> don't think the council could warrant daily

> collections in residential areas of which most of

> East Dulwich is.... Lordship Lane is pretty quiet

> if compared with Maida Vale (which has a higher

> density of shops/businesses and people). Does

> Maida Vale and St Johns have a daily garbage

> collection?

I don't know as I didn't live in either of those areas. I lived behind Oxford Street.

[James Barber]

hi Southwark Council,

How many responses to the survey have you had - would be useful o know how skewed adding two questions in would be.The chances of residents thinking to add specific comments to emulate actually asking the questions is slight.

[dorisminor]

The foxes will love that!!! They're smart enough to get the bins open if left outside. :))

[puzzled]

james barber says trsde collections are a private matter between shops and collection companies. thanks to him and his tory mates, this is true. southwark used to have a very reasonably priced and efficient trade waste service. the libdems and tories flogged it to veolia, who are crap actually. I am told the contract with veolia is for 20 years. thanks a bunch jimmy!

[James Barber]

Hi puzzled,

The only method to finance a new ?30M waste site was via Labour PFI. The marignal rate of borrowing at that time was 14% as set by government rules. At that time about 3 years ago a 25year contract was signed with a heavy heart from me. But it was the only show in town.

Councils are charged landfill tax. All waste collected by Southwark is charged at ?80 per tonne landfill tax. Keeping the commiercial contracts in place and havign to pay landfill tax wasn't sustianable. The next rise in landfill tax is to ?100./tonne. So selling the bushiness to Veolia was a logical step in the circumstances.

Was it worth building barricades over. No.

[elloriac]

I received a leaflet from Southwark Council informing me that there will be a session at the Herne Tavern tomorrow evening (22 Oct) between 7-9pm to ask questions and give feedback on the new scheme.

I assume there will be other sessions in other areas...

[Ko]

we and quite a few of our neighbours use VIP Bin Cleaning - 0800 558 448.

i think its ?3 a clean, they come once a month. i think the first clean costs ?6, then ?3 afterwards. they offer different packages. really nice guys and its ?3 a month well spent!! you have to pay one year up front if you want one of the packages. they have been doing our bin for 2 years now. great as we are in a terraced house with no tap in the front garden.

they get all the outside of the bin looking like new too and the inside smelling nice and clean (which means that one of our neighbours always tries to nick our bin now - so we've written our address inside it now!)

[James Barber]

I've had two requests for help in areas outside the 'pilot' areas as their previous reliable recyclnig collectinos have gone haywire. They've tried directly contacting the council and had stupid responses - one sent a new blue bag having complained that now only the blue boxes were being collected from.

If you live outside the 'pilot' area and have seen the changes of rounds affecting you - good or bad - then please get in touch and let me know so we can try spotting any trends.

[James Barber]

Last night the Environment Director told me the figures for recyclnig in and out of the pilot areas will be available.

Hopefully, they'll show the food waste 'pilot' with comingoling dry recyclecables and fortinghtly rubbish colleations is proving a roaring success.

ANyone teething problems still out there?

[hibbs]

It's working really well for me. Thanks.

[cate]

Are tetra packs able to be put in the co-mingling?

[James Barber]

Hi cate,

Afraid Tetrapaks can;t go in the co mingling.

The whole life of a Tetrapak in energy terms isn't good. Any collected tetrapaks get crated and shipped to Sweden for recycling. They're really complicated combination of high quality cardboard, aluminium and plastics. Complicated process to seperate all those.

About a year ago I have an email conversation with tetrapak people asking for a full energy life cycle management report which they must have but they would'nt release it.

So for now you'll need to take any to one of six 'bring' sites at major supermarkets - our nearest one in East duwich being Sainsbury's on Dog Kennel Hill.

[Chocoholic]

We are still struggling in our household with the amount of recycling for the blue box. This morning at the front of our house

was 3 black plastic bags 1 full blue box paper and cardboard boxes which all would have fitted into the green wheelie bin

and looking a lot tidier than being wrecked by foxes and cats last night (mess everywhere). We park our cars in the drive and we are very concerned about our tyres from the broken glass.We have nearly run out of the green small recycling bags for unwanted food. Telephoned Southwark Council today and they said they will be despatched out on the 17th December. We have five bags left what do we do after that - Southwark Council said ring again when you have run out.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

On the whole it's been very good, but we've hit a snag with non-recycling bin (ie, the green one) - due to a week where I've been decluttering, it is now full and not due to be collected until next Wednesday. Is there a process where one can circumvent the usual collection?

[James Barber]

Sorry Peckhamgatecrasher no route for extra green wheelie bin collections. It's now fortbightly for those in the pilot area.IF you live close to a non 'pilot' area you could concievably wheel it round to there but risk you'll lose your bin.

With christmas coming I would advise everyone in the pilot areas to have such decluttering sessions BEFORE Christmas when we all generate lots of rubbish and the fortnightly bin collections will test us all.

Hi Chocoholic,

IF you email me your detaisl I will ensure you get replacement bags - clear stupididty that if people want more food waste bags they shoudl be sent out - end of. please email me at [email protected] with your name and address.

[cate]

Does Southwark have a regular drop off day for the food waste bags? Or are we supposed to call them as and when or wait for whenever?