Topic ID 6913
I didn't get my brown bin contents removed and so I contacted the Council to find out they won't as it has the green compost caddy bags in. I have been using these bags for a couple of years and not had an issue before. Didn't get a note on the bing stating the reason at all, just not taken. Now they want me to dig out the rotten food and put it out in the next two weeks. I am normally very supportive af the recycling and diligent and this is disgusting so will be going in the black bin (I work full time and cannot get to the dump). Anyone else knew that these bags were unacceptable (Tesco Compostable Caddy liner) or did I miss this memo?
Reply ID 91378
It sounds like they have been instructed to look in the bins prior to emptying them to see if they spot anything left there that shouldn't be. Still, they should at least tell you what that is rather than let you guess.
Reply ID 91379
I did know about this - it was noted on the website when they changed the recycling rules. It seems strange but my understanding is that some councils will accept these bags, but others, like ours, claim that the facilities they send the contents to cannot accept them. I think you can use brown paper liners.
Reply ID 91382
They did say right from the beginning that only paper bags would be accepted and not the compostable ones of any type. We bought some then realised we could not use them for the brown bin. If you have been using them obviously they have not been spotted before.
Reply ID 91386
I had some lengthy correspondence regarding recycling (both with the council and in The Mercury) some time ago. My issue was mainly with the emptying of brown bins every 14 days in the "high summer" when the life cycle of the Greenbottle fly (which thrives in the brown bin environment) can be less than ten days. This is less of an issue at other times of the year. I also questioned the "merits" of having to put "loose" waste in the brown bin (and the potentially unhygenic use of an unlined caddy in the home) and was told that the waste processing machinery could not cope with the biodegradeable plastic liners but paper/cardboard should be OK. Macdonalds paper bags are good and roughly the right size - but you have to find someone to eat Macdonalds two or three times a week [:(] I do have remaining concerns about how much negative impact there is on the environment and our health (specifically in our back yards / patio's / driveways) caused by the de-centralisation of waste sorting accross the district. We are currently provided with 5 or 6 separate receptacles (if you include the caddy) for sorting our waste. In many schemes you are provided with only two (one for "general" waste (our black bin) and one for recycling). The recycling bin/receptacle is emptied and sorted at a recycling facility. This is a horrible job but, I think, more efficient and safer for the public/taxpayers. In our area the "investment" in recycling appears to have been in the provision of lots of bins to clutter up the place (relying on us to act as unpaid operatives) rather than in recycling facilities. Nuff said.....for now.....[;)]
Reply ID 91387
I noted when they extended to include the meat trays but missed the part about the little green compostable bags. Sooo annoying. And they could have said why they didn't pick up my bin. I will ponder how to get the food stuffs out of the bin and into the black bin for next week and then buy those paper bags. Or possibly give up with food composting as gets too expensive. Those paper bags are not overly. As for MacDonald's? I have a hungry teenager in the house who would love to be unleashed on MaccyD on a regular basis but not going to happen. I do support the scheme and am diligent about recycling. I now end up with a only about 3 black bin bags a fortnight now and reckon I could get that down to maybe two quite easily but sometimes it becomes so difficult (sorting, washing the tins, the bottles and we get through a LOT of milk- aforementioned teenager). And I do wonder what actually happens to all the items that are 'recycled'. And anyone know where to put metal? All the tins of Roses chocolates and what about fruit juice cartons with the silvery lining? Anyone fancy buying some green bags? Going cheap!
Reply ID 91390
quote:Sorry - I have a cupboard full of them for the same reasons. I am waiting for the day when the council MRF buys a machine that can cope! When available I buy the milk bags as they reduce the volume of waste produced and also reduce consumption as my teenagers cannot be ar**d to put the contents into the jug for use [:D]
Originally posted by Kateg28 Anyone fancy buying some green bags? Going cheap!
Reply ID 91391
Yes, I buy the milk bags when I can get to Sainsburys (no one else does them do they?). I get through 6 of them a week and they are excellent. My teenager is still enjoying changing the bags so I am ok on that one but he just puts the other recycling stuff on the floor NEXT TO THE RECYCLING BAG (I have a bag in the kitchen that I take out every couple of days and sort into the bins). Why he puts it on the floor next to the bag instead of in the bag flummoxes me every single time. Teenagers, don't you just love them....Capable of consuming their own bodyweight in food almost hourly.
Reply ID 91396
You should be able to get information from Hertfordshire Waste Partnership http://www.wasteaware.org.uk
Reply ID 91397
quote:Are the plastic milk bags recyclable? If you want to minimise your milk container recycling problem, go back to the old fashioned way of getting it delivered to your doorstep in glass bottles. Leave the empties out for collection and they get taken away, washed and reused! Simple.
Originally posted by Kateg28
Yes, I buy the milk bags when I can get to Sainsburys (no one else does them do they?). I get through 6 of them a week and they are excellent. My teenager is still enjoying changing the bags so I am ok on that one but he just puts the other recycling stuff on the floor NEXT TO THE RECYCLING BAG (I have a bag in the kitchen that I take out every couple of days and sort into the bins). Why he puts it on the floor next to the bag instead of in the bag flummoxes me every single time. Teenagers, don't you just love them....Capable of consuming their own bodyweight in food almost hourly.
Reply ID 91399
I have looked at the old fashioned delivery but...... It will be delivered after we all leave for work or school. It will either curdle in the Summer or, more likely be removed for redistribution amongst the local population. Real shame as they do more than milk but I did contact the relevant company and it just won't work for my timings.
Reply ID 91405
I always use the starch bags and have never had a issue with them not taking it. I do make sure they are layered between card and garden waste.
Reply ID 91406
quote:So the recycling Stasi can't see them?
Originally posted by GillP
I always use the starch bags and have never had a issue with them not taking it. I do make sure they are layered between card and garden waste.
Reply ID 91409
quote:Blimey, what part of (sub-tropical) Hertford do you live in? Where do they go round nicking milk off doordteps? We get deliveries from Cheshunt Dairy (part of Pensworth, originally Coopers, near Tewin) and they deliver to us at around 6 in the morning. Not sure they have a full range of food to deliver but certainly some basics. Sorry, going off topic.
Originally posted by Kateg28
I have looked at the old fashioned delivery but...... It will be delivered after we all leave for work or school. It will either curdle in the Summer or, more likely be removed for redistribution amongst the local population. Real shame as they do more than milk but I did contact the relevant company and it just won't work for my timings.
Reply ID 91410
quote:You might now if they are checking whats in the bin..............
Originally posted by GillP
I always use the starch bags and have never had a issue with them not taking it. I do make sure they are layered between card and garden waste.
Reply ID 91418
what makes a mockery is that west hertfordshire can use the compostable bags, whilst we can only use the paper ones (that rip as soon as they get slightly damp, making a mockery of using them at all). ridiculous.
Reply ID 91423
Stuff the council and stuff the bin men just put all food stuffs in the black bin until they get their act together and this also means no maggots in your brown bins.
Reply ID 91502
Because the maggots will be in your black bin! We used to use the cornstarch bags and hide them under other brown waste. We've now bought loads of brown paper bags off t'internet which should keep us going for ages but it isn't cheap.
Reply ID 91507
Anorak No the maggots will not be in the black bin because the rubbish is inside black plastic bags and this stops the flys which is why we need to be able to use bags for the brown bins which the council say no to and if your brown bags are spotted then they will not empty your bin.
Reply ID 91508
Any one else longs for the good old days where we only had one bin? The good old fashioned aluminium dustbins like this: [IMG]http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp111/cozyden_net/dustbin.jpg[/IMG]
Reply ID 91522
No! Nostalgia maybe a good thing but they were very noisy when collected..... I actually support recycling as I stress about running out of room for landfill. I even used real nappies as it bothered me so much. But then I worry if the eggs in the egg box are not evenly spaced and balanced so maybe I should just relax a bit. By the way, we took the green, compostable, bags out of our brown bin and put them in the black bin. However turns out they were not visible, we had to remove all the cardboard to find them so I think there is another reason, maybe even just missed but weird that they missed our black bin the week before. Lets see what happens for the next collection.
Reply ID 91524
Ok, just in case anyone cares. My black bin was left again today. However I ran (!!) down the road after them and spoke to one of them. When I explained where I lived, he pointed out my black bin was not over the boundary of my property, it was on my drive. This is true. It is actually halfway up my (short) drive. Now, I understand that they have to pander to the rules and not allowed on property in case someone sues them (I detest this blame culture) but..... I have been here for two and a half years and always left them there so they are not in the way of the path. And now they have decided to follow the letter of the rules and not tell me. "Ain't my job see. we aint allowed on your property like". I think I am just venting as I find this so irritating.
Reply ID 91525
quote:Of course they don't want to get sued so they ask us to obstruct the pavement with our multitudinuos recycling receptacles leaving us open to suit from anyone who falls over them [V] They have insurence for this sort of thing (they have to) we (as private individuals) may not [:(]
Originally posted by Kateg28
Ok, just in case anyone cares. My black bin was left again today. However I ran (!!) down the road after them and spoke to one of them. When I explained where I lived, he pointed out my black bin was not over the boundary of my property, it was on my drive. This is true. It is actually halfway up my (short) drive. Now, I understand that they have to pander to the rules and not allowed on property in case someone sues them (I detest this blame culture) but..... I have been here for two and a half years and always left them there so they are not in the way of the path. And now they have decided to follow the letter of the rules and not tell me. "Ain't my job see. we aint allowed on your property like". I think I am just venting as I find this so irritating.
Reply ID 91526
The trouble is they sometimes get a spot check and if they break the rules they can be in trouble so you can understand their part of it. Its the rules that are wrong not the men.
Reply ID 91528
It may be the rules but the men's attitude today was pretty stroppy and off hand. And do not forget they have been collecting there for over two years. I am angry that they have just stopped and not communicated why. The rules are petty but I do accept they have to follow them but there are ways of handling this, starting with communication.
Reply ID 91529
Maybe you have a new team on your round, I have to say ours are always very good. I can understand how frustrating it is though.
Reply ID 91538
Kateg28 I had the same problem and the bin is suppose to be inside your boundary as it is not legal outside your boundary.
Reply ID 91540
I had a similar problem in terms of where was my boundary etc. I rang the Refuse Collection Team at EHDC and they were very helpful. They even sent someone out from the office to check it out and ensure the collectors understood where the boundary was. So it may be worth you giving them a call.
Reply ID 91542
Just checked the website and it says: •We offer a boundary collection service; this means your bin must be presented with the lid closed at the boundary of your property by 7am. •The boundary of your property is where the front of your property / garden meets the public highway (pavement or road). •Operatives will not step onto your property. •Extra waste left at the side of the bin or placed on top of the bin will not be collected. Problem is that it was left half way up the short (one car length, just) driverway. They would have had to step onto my property to retrieve it. My son puts it out as one of his chores and he pointed out that I had asked him to put it neatly away from the edge so as not to cause an obstruction (it is difficult to move our cars on and off the drive as the bin is in the way when we leave in the morning). Anyway, more instructions and we will get it right next time. However the food in the little plastic bags is still in it which did not get collected last week due to wrong bags (that started this thread). I am not digging it out into brown bags. I am tempted to take it over to my OH shop and put in his skip but what a faff. As an aside, if all I need to worry about is my rubbish collection issues, my life is pretty good really. There are people with real issues!
![http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp111/cozyden_net/dustbin.jpg[/IMG]](http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp111/cozyden_net/dustbin.jpg[/IMG]){kind=link}