Green food waste bags no longer free from Southwark Council

[DulwichFox]

So . We pay council tax part of which is for Waste Collection...

Southwark implement the Blue Green and Brown bin scheme..

They provide Green bags for us to put food waste in.. Everyone complies.. and then we get charged extra

for complying with their scheme.

Great..

DulwichFox

[Charles Notice]

What are the advantages of Bromley compared to Southwark?

[Bellenden Belle]

As a Bromley resident, none as far as I can see.

Charles Notice Wrote:

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> What are the advantages of Bromley compared to

> Southwark?

[Mrs TP]

Bromley has an M&S and it's not just a food shop - oh wait that's another thread ;)

[DulwichFox]

Mrs TP Wrote:

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> Bromley has an M&S and it's not just a food shop -

> oh wait that's another thread ;)

Southwark has a Marks and Spencer at 311 Walworth Road, Southwark, and it's not just a food shop..

Southwark is not just East Dulwich although reading here on EDF you might get the impression it is..

DulwichFox

PS.. Back to green food waste bags...

[geh]

In fairness the council doesn't provide black plastic bin bags for us either. On balance now that everyone is used to the regime it makes sense. I think imho that we have a pretty good local authority.

[DulwichFox]

geh Wrote:

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> In fairness the council doesn't provide black

> plastic bin bags for us either. On balance now

> that everyone is used to the regime it makes

> sense. I think imho that we have a pretty good

> local authority.

You are not supposed to use Black Bin Bags anymore they were 'outlawed' years back..

I used to use bin liners and they used to take the whole bag and contents to prevent them having to tip

the bin then they stopped taking them and my bins were not emptied..

I think to some extent it depends on the bin man.

DulwichFox

[tomskip]

Surely the advantage of Bromley is that housing is much cheaper. Otherwise why would you move there?

[Bellenden Belle]

tomskip Wrote:

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> Surely the advantage of Bromley is that housing is

> much cheaper. Otherwise why would you move there?

I thought we were discussing council performance. But yes, housing is cheaper in Bromley (I don't live in Bromley I want to add quickly....shudders at thought).

[geh]

what goes in the green bin 'general waste' if its not in a black sack it won't be collected and you get a note on the bin then?

[tomskip]

Sorry Bellenden Belle, I seem to have been completely misled by your post on this thread at 4.57 today "We moved from Southwark to Bromley Council last year".

[DulwichFox]

geh Wrote:

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> what goes in the green bin 'general waste' if its

> not in a black sack it won't be collected and you

> get a note on the bin then?

That's not correct. Have not used black bags for many years an

My waste is collected every fortnight

Black bags are NOT biodegradable and cannot be recycled.

Dulwichfox

[geh]

sorry but never been advised by southwark or anyone else that black plastic sacks are unacceptable in the green general waste bins. not sure using biodegradable bags are relevant to non sorted general waste. i am talking about green coloured bins not 'green' as in sorted, recyclable waste (ie brown and blue)

[Sue]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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

> geh Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > what goes in the green bin 'general waste' if

> its

> > not in a black sack it won't be collected and

> you

> > get a note on the bin then?

>

>

> That's not correct. Have not used black bags for

> many years an

> My waste is collected every fortnight

> Black bags are NOT biodegradable and cannot be

> recycled.

>

> Dulwichfox

Surely what is in the green bin is stuff that cannot be recycled anyway, so it's irrelevant whether it's in a black bag or not?

Some of the stuff I put in the green bin might occasionally be in a black bin bag, but most is not. Nobody has ever left a note telling me I was doing it wrong :)

[DulwichFox]

Sue Wrote:

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> Surely what is in the green bin is stuff that

> cannot be recycled anyway, so it's irrelevant

> whether it's in a black bag or not?

>

> Some of the stuff I put in the green bin might

> occasionally be in a black bin bag, but most is

> not. Nobody has ever left a note telling me I was

> doing it wrong :)

I don't know.. needs clarification..

Green Box is for house hold waste.. So old pots, pans cutlery, lots of stuff..

It does get sorted and recycled if suitable. rest goes to landfill. black bags cannot be recycled and

cannot be sent to landfill.

I took some garden waste in a heavy duty green bag to Devon st. Depot. As I tipped it into the garden waste hopper

the bag tore and I lost hold of it and the bag fell in the hopper. The Depot guy gave me a right telling off.

I apologised and said it was an accident. He said we don't accept plastic bags..

There is a separate wheelie bin to put plastic shopping bags in..

There is a hopper for Wood, one for metal , one for building rubble, one for household.

You can recycle anything at Devon St. Paper, Books, Batteries, ink cartridges, clothes, shoes, electrical goods,

Engine oil, cooking oil....

You just need to show you are a Southwark resident.

Foxy

[Mrs TP]

Of course, how could I forget that. Used to stop off there on the way home from work but since having a career break to mind the kids it's all about Lidl Peckham ;)

[James Barber]

residents have two options. Either buy their own food waste bags or give up on food waste recycling. Please do stick with the system even if the council is making it less attractive without free bags.

Hi Bellenden Belle,

Why not get involved in Bromley local politics whatever your political philosophy and changes things.

[Sue]

Dulwich Fox, I think you are confusing the issue.

Obviously black bags, or any other colour plastic bags, or any non-degradable material for that matter, cannot be included with garden waste or other recycling.

I am unaware of any edict which says you cannot put black bags into a green bin, which is for non-recyclable rubbish.

Perhaps you are thinking of the days when people put their rubbish into a black bag and left it outside like that, without putting it into a bin at all? I believe it was that which was banned.

Unless you can point to somewhere on the council website which says otherwise?

ETA: On another point, my sister says that Merton Council have recently gone the other way to Southwark - they used to charge residents for collection of bulk waste, and now it is free.

[Sazzle30]

I use black bin bags and carrier bags to put my general waste in the bin without any issue.

They go in the green coloured bin.

I put garden waste in the brown bin directly and don't use any firm of bag.

All recycling goes in the blue one.

Bin men seem to be happy

[Mugglesworth]

While we're on waste collection, does anyone else suffer from this?...

Refuse collectors regularly decant waste from two or more wheelie bins into one bin, presumably to limit the number of bins that are taken to the lorry for emptying. The slapdash and irresponsible way this decanting takes place leaves the street strewn with litter. This week, I had five soiled nappies (only two in nappy sacks) left in front of my property after my neighbour's green bin was emptied into mine. Last week, another neighbour's blue bin was unaccountably decanted into my brown bin - which was then left unemptied and unusable. No attempt is made to clear up the resulting mess. Frequently, refuse collectors will only remove compostable sacks from the brown bin and will leave all other waste in there.

And yes, I have reported this to Southwark as a complaint rather than just moaning on the EDF. Just wondered if this problem is more widespread.

[Sue]

When my blue bin has been full, I have sometimes (eg if having a clearout) put recycling into a black bin bag, but clearly marked it "recycling, thank you" and left it with the blue bin on a recycling collection day.

It has always been taken with no problem at all. I assume they empty the contents (usually paper) and chuck the bin bag away.

[DadOf4]

from the introduction of the brown bin system (2/3 years ago ?), it was obvious to me that, at some point, southwark would stop providing the bags. They were only providing them to kick start the concept

I drew this conclusion after having to use the ridiculous, convoluted & hidden process on their website to order new bags - that was never going to be sustainable

I dont actually mind having to buy them - but it frustrates me that this info was not properly communicated.

[DulwichFox]

I've checked the Southwark website and it would seem that black bags are acceptable.

I really think it is down to the crew that comes out.. they seem to have their own interpretation

of what can and what cant be taken..

One guy refused my Green bin because it had dirty kitchen towel in it.

Tissue and Kitchen Towel cannot be recycled.. where are you supposed to put it ??

Foxy.

[Almondsass]

I remember as a child in the 70's disposing of our waste food in wrapped newspaper. Not a bad idea to go back to this method considering the amount of newspapers we throw out in my house.

[DMW23]

Seems like they are totally misinterpreting it if they are taking green bins for recycling!!

DulwichFox Wrote:

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

> I've checked the Southwark website and it would

> seem that black bags are acceptable.

> I really think it is down to the crew that comes

> out.. they seem to have their own interpretation

> of what can and what cant be taken..

>

> One guy refused my Green bin because it had dirty

> kitchen towel in it.

> Tissue and Kitchen Towel cannot be recycled..

> where are you supposed to put it ??

>

> Foxy.