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Peter Dolman · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:42 am Post subject: Bin collections

When the district councils disappear in June one of the decisions to be made by the new unitary authority is that of waste collections.

2 of the district councils operate a fortnightly bin collections and 2 weekly. This will need to be resolved so that there is a single policy for all.

The arguement is that in those areas where fortnightly collections take place recycling is far higher than those who have the weekly collection.

In 2009 the government will also be increasing the landfill tax to try to improve recycling rates across the country, so it will costs councils and ultimately you and me more to dispose of our waste.

The question therefore is, bearing in mind the above, would you be happy with fortnightly rubbish collection with a recycling (including food waste) on alternative weeks?

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A lifelong Calne supporter

GTB · Bushton Bushwacker Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 2206 Status:

I live in the Kennet District and all my rubbish is collected fortnightly already. It does make you recycle more but in the summer months the wheelie bins attract flies and other vermin (mice, rats, cats, etc) with it's nasty aromas. The period just after Christmas is the worst because of all the packaging. The council also insist that your wheelie bin should be closed when ready for collection - not easy when stuffed full of rubbish.
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Bear · Mile Elm Minstrel Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Posts: 1001 Status:

I like to have my rubbish collected every week and this is the service I currently pay for. If this is changed to fortnightly I would expect to see a reduction in my poll tax to reflect the savings by the council.

Peter Dolman · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:32 am Post subject:

In todays Daily Telegraph there is a report which claims infestations of rats in the country has increase by 15% in the year 2007/08. This is being attributed, in part, to the rise in fortnightly bin collections.

It is a story of popular myth but it seems now has some imperical fact.

Bear I am afraid that you will not have a reduction in council tax if north wilts goes to fortnightly collections as costs of waste disposal are increasing. Landfill tax is increasing, recycling is labour intensive and people have to be paid so the facts are we are all going to have to pay more especially if we keep the weekly collections!
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A lifelong Calne supporter

Biggles · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:06 am Post subject:

I am in an area where wheelie bins are not practical so we still are allowed 3 bin bags a week. If this council does go to fortnightly collections im guessing theyll double the allowance to 6 bags every fortnight. Where are we meant to store all this rubbish for a fortnight safely.

I am now having another worry over this, if we get another snow fall like weve just had anf they cancel the rounds again it will be a monthly collection and that will be 12 bags worth where is is meant to be kept till they bother to turn up. The countryside is gonna be littered with bags as people wont wont to keep that amount of refuse lieing about their houses.

If this council got their act together like most other normal councils and took plastics and cardboard in the black box collectiosn that would ease it a bit and make it easier to cope but there seems no signs of that happening in the foreseeable future and i cant see how 10000 residents of Calne driving to the recycling center to dump milk cartons and cardboard is "green" think of the carbon footprint that would cause

Chepfer · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:14 pm Post subject:

I can see a big increase in fly tipping too if this happens !

The government should be investing in the package companies themselves. Making them use less (though of course they wont) or using biodegradable products.

Local lass · Calnetalk Oracle Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 4792 Status:

there would be huge amounts of fly tipping going on.look at the flats in calne is it capaple of holding two weeks worth of waste.like bear said we pay for a weekly collection.
as forcing people to recycle by doing fortnighty is crap.like gtb said it wil attract more cats,rats and mice.

Peter Dolman · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:59 pm Post subject:

There is no statatory right for weekly bin collections and the district council (soon to be the Unitary Authority) will want to balance the need for recycling, waste collection and the increasing costs to the tax payer.
Lets not be under any illusion, I am not all that happy with the prospect of fortnightly collections, the politicians have little option but to consider the unthinkable sometimes.
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A lifelong Calne supporter

Peter Dolman · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:15 am Post subject:

chuck this is a question that will have to be resolved asap giving that half the county are already on fortnightly collections.

lets have your view and and how will you vote?
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A lifelong Calne supporter

Biggles · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:42 am Post subject:

Until this local council do doorstep recycling on everything (plastics, garden cardboard and food) like most normal councils across the country do theres no way they could even think about going fortnightly. I speak to loads of people online and none can believe how little we can put in the doorstep boxes (bottles cans and papers).