Locals Choosing To 'Opt Out 'Of Wheelie Bins

Glebe Estate one of the areas protesting against the bins

Several residents in the Glebe Estate have decided to opt out of the proposed wheeled bin collection but say it is unfair that the Council intends to refuse to collect black bags from their homes.

The Glebe Estate Resident's Association (GERA) said it had had numerous emails from members (and even some non-members) who do not want the imposition, without any consultation or sufficient notice, of wheelie bins and the ceasing of black bag collections. A significant number have decided to 'opt out' of the proposed scheme.

The wheeled bins have caused considerable controversy in Chiswick, with several resident's groups calling for a delay in their introduction so that the matter can be discussed -the bins are due to be delivered from next week with the new collection scheduled later this month.

The GERA has written to Hounslow Council saying that its members would like an assurance that if the scheme does go ahead, black bags will continue to be collected from houses which have chosen to opt out of the wheelie bin scheme. They say that a significant number of members have decided to opt out of the new scheme and will be taking their black bin bags to the tip if the Council refuses to collect them.

"Thus, the proposal has the bizarre consequence of both adding to traffic congestion in the area and increasing “greenhouse” gas emissions by forcing a number of people to drive their own car with a small bag of waste to the local tip while a large lorry circulates the streets picking up rubbish from wheelie bins at a restricted number of homes."

The Glebe Estate in Chiswick consists of small Victorian terraced houses with tiny front gardens, which the GERA says are "totally unsuitable to house a wheelie bin of any type."

In a letter to Hounslow Council the residents say they do not want their gardens "blighted" by an ugly wheelie bin. They say residents recycle to a large extent, and the Council's assertion that the bins would solve the matterof spilled rubbish and vermin, does not apply to their area as it is not a local problem.

Keeping the bins in front gardens would require the creation of an area of hard standing of paving- this is in conflict with the Council's policy of '“Your Front Garden – Save it, Don’t Pave It”.

They also say that wheeling bins to the back garden through terraced houses is not acceptable. Those who have built cupboards and sheds in front gardens to hold recycling containers would find the wheelie bins too large to fit in.

They also claim that in densely-packed streets with trees, the bins will pose a risk to pedestrians, particularly the elderly and those with prams and small children. The SITA operatives do not return the recycling containers to the inside of gardens, and they may also leave the wheelie bins on the pavement, says the GERA.

Elderly residents would have great difficulty lifting their bags into a bin and wheeling it around.
They are also not able to take their bags down to the waste and recycling centre and rely on the weekly collection of black bag rubbish.

The GERA have asked LBH to reconsider the "misguided decision" and say that if the scheme does go ahead they would like an assurance that black bags will continue to be collected from houses which have chosen to opt out of the wheelie bin scheme.

The matter is to come up for discussion at the next meeting of the Chiswick Area Forum at Chiswick Town Hall on Tuesday, 11 November 2014 at 7:30 pm. Members of the public are invited to attend.

November 7th , 2014