Chaos, utter chaos!

Posted By: Susan Emmott
Date Posted: 07/06/2007

More on the fortnightly bin collections I’m afraid.

The Heywood Township has passed a resolution opposing the fortnightly bin collection, as many people already know. The Council’s Cabinet has called for a review of the scheme, however the Leader of Council, Councillor Alan Taylor has refused to put the scheme on hold in Heywood.

The reason he gives in last week’s Heywood Advertiser is as follows: “It is too late to stop the roll out of alternate weekly collections in Heywood because a lot of people have already started using the recycling bins”

Errrrr………well yes, but no at the same time.

Maybe Councillor Taylor would like to address his comments to the residents of the Grangewood Park Estate in my ward. (That is Newhouse Rd, Shaftsbury Drive etc)

Last week, on recycling day, those residents of Grangewood Park already taking part in kerbside recycling dutifully put their recyclable waste: paper, cardboard, plastic etc in the appropriate bags, placed them separately in the blue recycling bin so the bags would not blow away or blow open and waited patiently for the refuse collectors to collect their recyclable waste – just like good citizens taking part in recycling.

However, the refuse collectors decided otherwise. They opened the lid of each bin, pulled out the appropriate bags containing recyclable waste, put the bags on the pavement – AND THEN LEFT THEM!

They left them to blow about in the wind, to the mercy of dogs, cats and other animals to curiously open and of course to the mercy of some kids who thought it a good idea to scatter the waste about. And the bags were left for several days. Brilliant! (not)

So, if the reason given for not halting the fortnightly bin collections in Heywood is because people are already using the new bins, then it is a spurious one because the Council is clearly not reciprocating the efforts of local people to recycle.

Also, the Council has been delivering the new recycling bins to empty properties in Heywood. That is not such a problem in houses with gardens, where the bin can be left in the garden. But, on streets with terraced houses with no gardens, the new bins have just been left outside empty houses blocking the pavement!

Chaos – this reminds me of the popular phrase about not being able to organise a certain type of raucous drinking session in a brewery!