Forum Topic

Recycling

I tired reving up an old thread but no joy - it did get off track - so trying again because I am fed up. I started recycling again about a month ago after a couple of years of not bothering due to poor service and so far;Week 1 - No collection until a neigbour called the councilWeek 2 - Collected 2 days late presumably because someone called againWeek 3 - No collectionWeek 4 - collected but health and safety risk of neighbours' boxes piled on top of mine in the walkway to the front doorI also had the pleasure of witnessing rush hour traffic in Clifden Rd tonight because they decided to collect the recycling at 18.15, presumably because they couldn't be bothered this morning.I am getting extremely fed up with constantly hearing about how we are all going to get fined if we don't recycle properly when we have a local government that charges extortionate council tax, will probably implement fines at the drop of the hat but can't be a**ed to provide a basic service (or have no control over those to whom they have sub-contracted because they agreed a nonsensical contract in the first place).I am on the verge of taking all my recycling to Tescos soon (64 points in 1 week on plastic alone which of course Hounslow don't collect) but I have to drive it there so kind of defeating the object really.I look forward to the fines!!!

Claire Peleschka ● 6576d13 Comments

Apparently the recycling team is completely overwhelmed with the volume of complaints about the service and it doesn't show any sign of improving at the moment, so I'm giving up on the green box scheme and will be taking my recycling to Tesco or somewhere.I am normally in favour of keeping the pressure on and trying to get the problem fixed. What was previously not a brilliant service is now failing to cope with the increased volume of recycling, outdated and inappropriate vehicles and the new obstructions provided by the Thames Water works and the increase in complaints just seems to have locked it up. I've heard that they are now trying to operate an increasingly expensive service with no additional resources. Can anyone tell me if this is true and if there is a possibility of a better funded service in future? The CIP contract finishes in six months - I hope a more suitable contractor is found.

Holly Hodges ● 6562d

Hmm, maybe I'm missing something, Jim. I assume what they mean is that there isn't enough room to pass the corner, so I'm not sure how reversing would help, unless you mean if they were approaching from Brook Road North...? Yes, I've told them on many occasions that there are two routes into Layton Road, so if it is obstructed from the Ealing Road end, they can come down Brook Road. It doesn't seem to have improved matters at all. In fact, it's 12:35 on Tuesday (recycling day) and they haven't been. I've rung Hounslow and left a voicemail message.

Holly Hodges ● 6569d

""I live at the end of Layton Road which is a sort of cul-de-sac and they say that due to the parking at the cafe on the corner, the trucks can't get through.""Whilst that cafe corner does get busy..and driver using a degree of common sense..should be easily able to drive into that industrial estate forecourt (where the fire was)..and reverse back..past the cafe and further back to those flats you mentioned.And Brooke Road North could always be approached from the Great West Road..hopefully!

Jim Lawes ● 6570d

Yes, my experience has been similar to Claire's and predates the Thames Water digging by at least six months. At one stage I was speaking to Claire Howard and/or her colleagues in Houslow several times a week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, after which they admitted they'd just leave it until the following Tuesday, when it often was left for another week). There is always a different excuse - Thames Water works is simply the latest. One time when the recycling hadn't been collected in weeks (well after I'd been assured that 'the crew will come out every day until the job is done') they finally came around and put the boxes in a van and drove away, so it didn't matter to me if they didn't collect the following week as I had no box to put it in.I live at the end of Layton Road which is a sort of cul-de-sac and they say that due to the parking at the cafe on the corner, the trucks can't get through. If they know that they can't get through then why haven't they found an alternative (smaller vehicle, different collection time) or just eliminated the green box option altogether instead of encouraging my neighbours to leave their rubbish on the street to be strewn about and left uncollected for weeks? Anyway, a van comes to Lambert Lodge at the end of the road every day and a Tesco truck comes several times a week and they don't seem to have a problem.I now take my own recycling most of the time, so I don't know if there's been any improvement lately.

Holly Hodges ● 6572d

"If a crew cannot access a particular street they will come back every day until they can service the recycling boxes. This is why boxes may get collected on a different day."Then can you explain why the works on Braemar that were completed, I think, on Monday 16th July prevented any recycling collection until Tuesday 24th if they come back every day?Also, why was the recycling being collected from Clifden Rd at 18.15 in the evening this past Tuesday when there are no works being performed by Thames Water in that street?I think what you are being told by your sub-contractors and what is actually happening are 2 different things and as you will see from my previous post in 2005, this is certainly not a new thing.Regarding the fines, I am glad you will not be imposing them because if your service were to be examined in a court of law, the council would, I suspect, be severely embarrassed.All I would like is the service to be provided. Not for trucks to be sent out especially for me or my street at greater expense and certainly not to get a standard, "we're doing everything we can" response when this is clearly not the case.

Claire Peleschka ● 6573d

Send me an e-mail using the forum system (click my name), indicating where you live and I will get you block checked -If you provide contact details our recycling officers will be pleased to advise - thanks

David Palmer ● 6573d

"We do provide centralised recycling bins for residents living in flats and more information can be found on the LBH website for all recycling information"Where are they?  There are no recycling bins where I live so far as I am aware.  Just 3 large silver bins in a bin store.  None of them are green and there are no green box collections.  It's ok for me I drive and take my recycling stuff to Tesco or wherever but if I didn't have a car I would be doing what everyone else in my flats appears to do which is chuck it in the large silver bins!

Bernadette Paul ● 6573d

We do apologise for the disruption that some residents might be experiencing at present, both in Brentford and Chiswick. We have had some problems accessing recycling boxes in some streets due to Thames Water carrying out emergency repair work.If a crew cannot access a particular street they will come back every day until they can service the recycling boxes. This is why boxes may get collected on a different day. The council has no intention of fining people who are not recycling but would encourage residents to get involved to protect their environment and conserve resources.We do provide centralised recycling bins for residents living in flats and more information can be found on the LBH website for all recycling information - http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/index/environment_and_planning/recycling.htmDavid PalmerCustomer ServicesStreet Management & Public Protection DeptLB Hounslow

David Palmer ● 6573d

Mattthank you

Claire Peleschka ● 6574d

Claire, I don't know why your road has had such bad service recently but I will try and discover why. I've had other complaints and it is not acceptable when we need to work together to increase the recycling rate.Best regardsMatt

Matt Harmer ● 6575d

Hi Claire and Bernadette,You may find this report presented to the Borough Council last night regarding Waste Management and Recycling interesting.http://213.210.33.3/Published/C00000254/M00003721/AI00033773/$BoroughCouncilReportWasteManagement2007.docA.ps.pdf

Paul Fisher ● 6575d

Actually I did mention this on a previous post BUT!  If the council are serious about recycling, why are there no arrangements for blocks of flats?  Do the tower blocks have some sort of green collection?  Where I live, which is a small block, there are no green bins of any description.  Any recycling done by residents there (if indeed any of them do recycle) would have to be as a result of them storing paper/glass/plastic whatever, in their flats and then taking it to a recycling centre.  All of which is ok if you have a vehicle and are not too old or infirm.  Having green trucks that collect from individual houses (albeit haphazardly and irregularly) is all well and good but what about the many flats dwellers?

Bernadette Paul ● 6575d

I actually keep my plastic in seperate bins so I can take them to Tesco, purely selfish, I get points. For the last 2 weeks the bin men have taken the plastic for recycling and left the rubbish. The recycling men have taken...nothing. I don't need educating. I need the service I am paying for to be provided. I pay nearly £1400 a year for this and do not get the service. I do not get meals on wheels. I pay for a private gym because I do not want me or my children to swim in faeces, I am not an illegal immigrant and my children go to a religious school. I rarely use the parks because they're filthfy and either covered in needles or dog crap because dog owners are scared to take their dogs in the correct area because people are training their bull terriors for fighting. All I get for being daft enough to pay my tax is a rubbish and recycling collection and I don't even get that. My point is,it's once a week. People are getting paid to do it. I am paying for it to be done. Why, fines or no, does it appear to be so difficult?

Claire Peleschka ● 6576d

Hello Claire.We are lucky as our collections are regular and apart from the occasional driving along the pavements, uneventful.I recently spoke to the recycling information office and they were very helpful even offering to come out and work through our rubbish/recycling with us - if they did this with you perhaps you could explain in detail the issues you repeatedly have with the actual collections?I did ask about the fines imposed by some councils and they were clear that Hounslow is not going to do this.  They are investing money in educating us all - which means making a success of the whole venture, including the pick ups with the delivery lorries.I do wonder why they cannot arrange to pick up plastic with some sort of squashing van as the dustmen's side of the work must surely be reducing.  I would also like the pick up of surplus food.  Anyone know if this may happen?

Sarah Felstead ● 6576d