RUBBISH CHARGE

Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
 

City of York Council is refusing to take away refuse because it is too cold. They say health and safety legislation forbids their bin men from scooping out garden waste from the bottom of green bins with their hands if the grass cuttings, leaves and compost inside are frozen. Instead all refuse must be collected mechanically by the lorry.

Labour councillor Brian Watson, from Breckfield Lane, Acomb, York, was one homeowner whose rubbish the bin men refused to take away. He said, "I rang up the council's City Pride hotline to be told by someone a couple of miles away that my bin was frozen, what wonderful vision. I told him that wasn't the case and I would go and check it again and ring him back."

He added, "For good measure I gave the rubbish a prod with a thick stick and, at the same time, tested a neighbour's whose bin hadn't been emptied either. The refuse wagon turned up to empty bins on the other side of the road so I asked the operator if he would empty these two bins. Without a glance in my direction he shouted 'frozen' and rushed off."

A spokeswoman for the City of York council defended the bin men's actions by saying, "Our crews use the mechanical shaker on the bins to try and free as much of the waste as possible, but they are not allowed to reach in to the bin to free the waste. If householders take all reasonable steps to ensure the contents of their bins are not too compacted then we shouldn't have any difficulty emptying them, frost or not." (Source: Mail on Sunday, Nov/06)

Householders face on-the-spot fines of £110 for putting their rubbish out on the wrong day under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act. Ministers say black bags being left out for days at a time, or at the end of a road, are an increasingly serious problem. They have urged councils to use new powers to issue offenders with fixed penalty notices as part of a broader move to prevent 'fly-tipping'.

As well as introducing on-the-spot fines, it places a new 'duty of care' on householders to dispose of larger pieces of rubbish through registered companies or local councils. If rubbish such as DIY debris is found dumped and traced back to an individual, they will be liable for fines of up to £5,000 themselves if they have paid anyone other than a local authority or company registered with the Environment Agency to dispose of it.

Commenting on the on-the-spot fines, an Environment Department spokesman said, "They should be applied to people who leave their rubbish out on the wrong day. Councils will tell their residents they will collect waste only on a particular day and they should leave it outside only at these times. If people are leaving black bags out two or three days in advance, they can come in and fine them."

Tory local government spokesman Eric Pickles said, "Things like furniture or large items being dumped by individuals or industrial-scale dumping of waste can blight neighbourhoods. But do we really want to start fining some poor pensioner for committing the offence of putting the wrong bag out on the wrong day? It strikes me as bizarre. It's just another example of an over-reaction by a Government that is determined to introduce a nanny state."

He said the Government also had to take the blame for much larger-scale fly-tipping. Ministers had botched preparations for an EU directive requiring fridges to be recycled, which had led to large-scale dumping over recent years, he said. The Government insisted fly-tipping by individual householders was costing local authorities as much to clean up as the junk dumped by profiteering 'waste cowboys'. (Source: Mail on Sunday, Aug/06)

Residents are being warned that they could face a £5,000 fine if they fail to check the credentials of people they pay to take away rubbish. Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, people can face penalties if their rubbish is dumped illegally, regardless of who was responsible. The maximum fine is £5,000, although people found guilty of fly-tipping their own rubbish can face a fine of up to £50,000 or a jail term.

A spokeswoman for Derby City Council said that the authority was stepping up its campaign against fly-tipping. She added, "It's very important that people check that whoever's getting rid of their rubbish, particularly after building work or decorating, is going to deal with it responsibly. We're clamping down on this and residents who fail to do so could pay the penalty." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Jun/06)

Residents could be hit with £75 fines for leaving wheelie bins in the street. Parking ticket-style notices are to be put on some dustbins in the Abbey area to remind residents not to leave them on the street. A survey by the city council found 17% of homes left their bins out permanently. Officials said these obstruct the pavements, particularly for disabled people and parents with push-chairs. Householders will be reminded they are liable for the cost of a replacement if the bin is stolen, lost or set alight.

Councillor Sara Bolton, cabinet member for environment and direct services, said, "We're hoping that this somewhat unusual method will grab people's attention and make them take notice of this serious issue. Residents should realise that, as well as being a hazard to pedestrians, bins left on the pavement and their contents can lead to burglary, fraud and arson. If the stickers work we will look at using them in other areas of the city."

However, some residents claim they will have great difficulties moving their bins and have accused the council of using the scheme to make money out of them. Council leader Chris Williamson said he hoped the campaign would persuade people who leave their bins out to change their ways. He said fines would be handed out only as a last resort.

He added that the council would work with people who struggled to remove their bins from the pavement to try to find a solution. One residents said, "The only way I could get the bin to my back garden would be to drag it through the house. I'm not prepared to do that. It's just another example of the council trying to make money out of you." (Source: BBC News, Feb/06)