Wheelie Bin Implementation Descends into Chaos

Council hails it as success and denies next step is fortnightly collection

The advent of wheelie bins in more streets in Chiswick has resulted in chaos and confusion with many residents’ rubbish going uncollected. The Council delivered 11,000 new bins across the borough this week arguing that the bins not only save money but will reduce fox and rat numbers.

The bins arrived at many homes last week but residents should also have received letters telling them not to put rubbish in the new wheelie bins out for collection until Monday, 24th November. Many residents claim not to have received the letter until after they had put out the bins this Monday and assumed that they could start using the bins. If they did then their rubbish went uncollected.

Wheelie bins arrive on the Glebe Estate

However, residents who had received the letter and left their rubbish in non-Council owned wheelie bins, as they had always done previously, also found that their rubbish had not been collected.

One resident David Cuss told how having used his old wheelie bin this Monday he was told that the collectors would return the following day but he was concerned that, as they rubbish had been transferred to new wheelie bin, it may not be collected again. He concluded ‘What a farce!'. In the event a second collection appears not to have been made.

Residents also now need to dispose of their non-standard wheelie bin which the Council may not collect. Another resident reports that he has been told by the Council that old bins will be collected at a date to be decided but we have received no official confirmation of this.

Residents mistakenly believed they could use bins this week

Another local says he was told that he would have to wait until next week for his rubbish to be collected but that, for one week only, collection of any rubbish that doesn’t fit into the wheelie bin would take place this coming Monday 24th November. Once again, we have had no official confirmation that this will happen.

There have also been reports of refuse collectors tipping recyclables into the new wheelie bins leading to concern that next week rubbish will also be not collected because you are forbidden from putting recyclables in wheelie bins.

Leader of Hounslow Council, Steve Curran told us, “We are investigating these claims with our contractor and will take any action as appropriate. We will be monitoring the collection of wheelie bins next week to ensure everything goes smoothly. If anyone needs further help or information on their new wheelies, they should call 020 8583 2000 or email recycling@hounslow.gov.uk.”

Opposition to wheelie bins continues with some residents pointing out that their introduction is, notionally at least, still being done on a trial basis. A petition against wheelie bins has been launched on the Hounslow Council web site.

The Council say the implementation of wheelie bins so far has been a great success quoting one resident as saying, “Keep it up for introducing the wheeled bin for cleaner, safer and pollution free environment.” They will be monitoring its progress and teams will be in all areas receiving bins during the first few weeks of collections. If you see them the Council is encouraging you to ask any questions or discuss your concerns.

There has been widespread speculation that Hounslow Council have introduced wheelie bins with the intention of introducing fortnightly collections at a later date. It was announced this week that Ealing Borough, which is responsible for the collection of waste in the north of Chiswick, will be introducing fortnightly collections from 2016 as part of a package of cost saving measures across the borough. Each household will be given two wheelie bins in which to place their non-recyclable waste.

Cllr Steve Curran said: “We have no plans to introduce fortnightly collections at present. Weekly collections will stay for the foreseeable future and at least until we see how effective the wheelie bin roll out has been in terms of increasing recycling and making our streets cleaner. That is our priority.”

November 21, 2014