I say southwark - fortnightly bin collections

[James Barber]

Hi cate,

The pilot was planned to have two drops of food waste bags.

One the week before the pilot started and another on 17 December.

When I was briefed about the pilot I was told residents could call the 020 7525 2000 environment line for more BUT two sets of residnts so far have told me they were repeatedly foobed of and told to wait until 17 DEcember when they'll receive more.

I've contacted the lead officer to get this sorted and clearly ridiculous.

So, if you need bags please email me and I'll ask for them as the current process is not working and doesn't appear properly set=up or the call centre people havent had a new crib sheet issued/ training.

[Southwark Council]

Hi Chocoholic,

The next batch of bags will be delivered throughout the week commencing 13th December. Number of bags allocated are based on an average household using 3-4 per week but we're aware there will be some exceptions to this.

If you run out before this date, please email [email protected] and we'll do our best to accommodate your specific needs. I apologise if the information you received previously differed from this. We've had a chat with the relevant team and this will be corrected going forwards.

I should also say that bio-degradable bags are available from all major supermarkets but this is more of a 'heads up' rather than a request that you should purchase your own.

An alternative option if you're interested; you can line your caddy with newspaper and throw the whole lot into your brown bin (i.e. without a bag). The bags are for ease, hygiene and to safeguard against smells but the brown bin does have a secure lid should you be happy to use them without. This is down to individual preference.

In terms of your recycling, we can provide additional blue boxes which are stackable. If they're of use just email or call 020 7525 2000.

@Peckhamgatecrasher, we've designed the pilot to ensure as much waste as possible is still collected on a weekly basis. Just to highlight to anyone else reading this, it's only the waste which is non-recyclable i.e. plastic film, cellophane, plastic bags, polystyrene etc that should go into the green bin.

If on a regular basis you can't fit all your remaining waste into this get in touch and we'll do what we can to find a solution that suits you.

In the meantime, some of the below options may help:

-charity shops and organisations like swapxchange (www.swapexchangesouthwark.org) are great ways to get rid of your waste whilst benefiting someone else.

-There's a free bulky waste collection for larger items

-You can bring unwanted household and garden items to manor place.

@Cate - the bags will be delivered automatically to each of the houses within the pilot - see above.

We're keen to do our best to make sure this works for everyone and continue to listen to your feedback.

Thanks very much.

Ian Smith

Acting Head of Sustainable Services

[cate]

James,

Thanks for reply. What happens after the 17th December I wonder? Perhaps they are planning on 3 monthly drops? I did see the stuff about newspapers. But what if you don't have any newspapers at home?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Thanks James and Southwark Council.

[Southwark Council]

Hi Cate,

This is a 6 month pilot so the next delivery of bags, week commencing 13th Dec, will see the majority of residents through to the end of this time. If you run out, please get in touch as I mentioned before.

We will need to consider any successes and failures of the pilot and at this stage we can't simply say what will happen. It will very much depend on how the pilot goes and the feedback we receive from residents.

If you haven't already done so, the best way to let us know your thoughts is by completing the survey. There will be some additional opportunities to feedback in the new year.

Thanks again,

Ian Smith

Acting Head of Sustainable Services

[James Barber]

Hi Southwark Council,

Shame the system hadn't been tested to ensure duff responses to residents emails and phone calls when asking for more biodegradeable bags.

Has it now actually been tested?

Generally, if anyone plans to complete the survey - and it is fundamentally flawed - make sure you add any comments IF you'd prefer to have a blue wheelie bins to the multiple blue bags and boxes. Officers have dug their heels in and refused to ask this question.

Also, if you've had any issues as reported on this thread about rubbish being strewn around, nappies, etc, mention it.

[23e Heure]

- The blue boxes are impractical/messy...

- ...Clearly "Messy" for the collection team to deal with: for the past 3 weeks on the trot they have emptied mine and then simply tossed them direspectfully over my hedge!

I don't want to be a forum whinger, but am just forced to get on here and have a little rant about that:

Please Southwark just offer us blue wheelie bins or self apply lid stickers to 'convert' our existing green bin to a blue one: it will make for a cleaner and more attractive local environment, and will surely be more efficient for the collection teams to handle!

I'll definitely fill in that survey (!)

[The Nappy Lady]

Generally working really well for me, I haven't run out of the bags to line my kitchen caddy, but if I did would be happy to pick some up next time I do a supermarket shop to see me through until more are delivered, as they are not expensive - less than 5p each.

Eventually we HAVE to have either a blue wheelie bin, or the facility to convert our existing green bin, but I can understand why this needed to wait until after the pilot. Yet again this week I was left with quite a bit of paper, plastic containers etc. strewn across my pavement after the recycling team had been along. I'm sure having to deal with the blue boxes adds to this problem of dropped rubbish.

One thing I am VERY happy about is that after having Saturday morning bin collections for the past 10+ year, everything is now collected on a Wednesday, so I have at least got the vague chance of a lie in one of these days - thank you for that, I must say I felt it was about time we had a rota change!

[cate]

To those who want to convert their green bins to blue ones; what will you put your non-recyclable stuff in?

[The Nappy Lady]

Well, I'd estimate that I'd only have about 1 black back of 'general' waste, so I'd fit that in a single blue box I guess, in a tied up bag, or in the top of my converted main bin in a tied up bag, and take it out on collection day, but not sure if they would take it then. This is the problem isn't it - avoiding the bin men getting confused if we all start doing different stuff.

[23e Heure]

cate Wrote:

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

> To those who want to convert their green bins to

> blue ones; what will you put your non-recyclable

> stuff in?

I currently have two of the small size green wheelie bins.

One is currently redundant. Am holding off on asking Southwark to collect it in the hope fo future 'conversion' opportunity

[Chocoholic]

I agree with previous comments and mine earlier in the thread about converting the blue box to the green wheelie bin it just makes more sense and a lot tidier. My blue box is already full and its only Saturday morning.

[cate]

Wonder how many people have a spare green bin. I certainly don't. But the idea is a good one.

[Chocoholic]

Collection day for us I put 3 full black bags on top of our green wheelie bin of recycled stuff the dustmen went straight

passed and didnt take them. I ran out of my house and called them back .The Kerb Manager said "what is the problem madam" I

said "you have not taken my recycling stuff." He replied "we don't take black bags". I said " my blue box is not big enough for all

our recycle stuff." " Ok we will take them today but they need to be in the blue box next week". By the way the reason we put them on top of the green wheelie bin was the fact that we were trying to be helpful to the dustmen rather than reach over on a snowy and icy wall part from the fact they would not have noticed them if they were on the ground behind the wall.

[cate]

What about clear bags piled on top of blue box? I can see why they wouldn't take the black bags, expecially if they were on top of green bin which is not for recycling?

[Chocoholic]

Unfortunately, I did not have any clear sacks. Does any body know where I can purchase them. If the dustmen had shaken the

black bags they would have heard the sound of bottle tins cans etc. Since the recycling first started, I have always done

it this way as the blue box is not big enough for our requirements.

[elloriac]

They have clear plastic bags for recycling - I've seen them somewhere and they were proper Southwark labelled recycling bags, but I can't remember where I've seen them out. Perhaps if you contacted the environment team, they could send you some?

I don't know what's in your recycling, but we bought a can crusher (<?10) and that's made a huge difference to getting everything fitting in our blue box. Plus we've hung onto the bag for our paper recycling.

[intexasatthe moment]

Chocoholic - I use clear plastic bags for my tins and plastics .

Tesco's sell them .I always buy mine from Surrey Quays Tesco's ,not sure if smaller Tesco's do them .

Now I think of it Asda do clear bags as well - but the Tesco's ones fit the crate I have in my kitchen !

[Chocoholic]

Thankyou. Will try to get to Tescos, meanwhile I will contact the environment team as well.

[James Barber]

Hi Chocoholic,

If you need more blue boxes or bags Southwark council will happily provide them.

When you contact Southwark do make it clear you'd if you'd prefer a blue wheelie bin. The people that ask the greater chance they'll allow this.

[Chocoholic]

Thanks James will contact them today thats if there is anybody there due to the bad weather.

[James Barber]

Or email them at [email protected]

If you don't get a response in 24hours let me know - preferably by forwarding your orginal email.

[The Minkey]

It's lucky my neighbour has 2 large green bins as she doesn't bother with recycling so they're stuffed full to overflowing every fortnight.

[Southwark Council]

Hi All,

We promised we'd let you know about further opportunities to feedback about your experiences with the food waste pilot if you haven't done so already.

We're holding a number of informal drop-in events across the borough over the next couple of weeks. These are held by an independent host, and you can either pop along to have your say or to listen to the views of other residents. Details of these can be found here.

If you aren't able to attend, there is a survey online which you can complete. We have included some additional questions, based on your feedback so far, particularly around the liners we provide and containers for recycling. This is also available from the link above.

Thanks very much.

Ian Smith

Acting head of sustainable services

[James Barber]

Today Southwark Council announced that all non food waste andrecycling will be collected fortnightly from homes that face onto streets - street properties - from the start of the autumn. Effectively an extension of the food waste pilot scheme from 10,000 homes to 47,000 homes while reducing the frequency of collecting recycled stuff from weekly to fortnightly along with the regualr waste going fortnightly.

They've listened to my request that people be offered wheelie bins for all their recycling.. Unfortunately I'd guess that making recyclnig collectinos fortnightly wont encourage people to recycle to avoid it hanging around for the normal waste which will be fortnightly. Probably should do non food waste fortnightly and collect food waste and recyclnig weekly and once people are used to maximising their recyclnig then go, if they must, to fortnightly for recycling.

What do you think?