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Local Elections - The Bins - Mike Grimes (28th Apr 2007 - 02:36:27) AWC (Alternate Weekly Collection) they call it. What it actually means is that decaying houshold waste is only collected every fortnight. The Government tried to hush it up (before the elections) but many councils are trying to introduce this retrograde step to the only local service that many enjoy. We have had AWC and the, consequential, maggot infestations in the summer for a few years now, are we all happy? It might persuade us to recycle a bit more but are we actually falling for this blatent "go green where it saves the authorities cash" message. I do not enjoy cleaning out my putrid bin with disinfectant every two weeks in the summer purely because it has not been emptied. This represents a health risk. I have recently had election communications from a number of potential district councillors through my letter box and I am, now, aware of their rabbit's names but not of their stance on issues such as this. Perhaps Hope, James & James (or Evans, Raison & Walters) can enlighten us as to whether they support a return to more frequent domestic waste collection. This is not a "Green" issue. This is a festering brown issue. It may be interesting to see if any of the above actually take notice of this site and, therefore, an aspect of local opinion. Or are they more interested in their rabbit?

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Paul Robinson (29th Apr 2007 - 10:24:24) Well, I heard the thump of Mike's gauntlet hitting the ground but note that no one from the council has actually rushed forward promising a return to the once weekly bin collection. But then I reflect that our councillors have been similarly silent when it comes to other issues aired on this site (school crossing delays et al) Whilst I would be the first to acknowledge that in this area people would vote for a blue cabbage, here is a real opportunity for someone from one of the other political parties to make a name for themselves. Paul Robinson

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Steve Read (29th Apr 2007 - 11:17:50) Agree with both Mike and Paul on this. Quite frankly I believe if someone had the balls to stand up and declare "vote for me I represent the Common Sense Party" they would win by a landslide. Mind you this would probably be deemed as politically incorrect because it would exclude all the main three parties straight away. The silence from the local parish regarding issues raised on here is no doubt attributed to the fact they are concentrating their attention on their own website. Good job someone is! I expect our seasonal visitor, our local MP will be making an appearance on here shortly in an attempt to bolster up the pearl and twin set vote. Maybe he could advise us which side of the head "call me Dave" has his hair parting this week.

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - James Arbuthnot (29th Apr 2007 - 16:33:46) OK. But getting back to the subject, now that we've had the bins collected in this way, one week recycling the next week other waste, my own personal experience is that I and my family have grown used to it and are recycling more. I accept that we're lucky in that we don't live in a tiny town property with nowhere to put the bins, but I'm not sure that I would be pressuring to go back to the old system. What do others think?

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Alan (29th Apr 2007 - 17:01:43) I was sceptical back at the start of AWC, thinking we couldn't possibly get 2 weeks of rubbish into one bin. Now our green bin is often only half full after 2 weeks, and the black one is nearly full! We now compost all kitchen waste, so only the excessive plastic that the supermarkets inflict upon us and which can't be recycled ends up in the green bin. More effort should be made by the Government to force the reduction of excess packaging at source - why can't some legal requirement be put in place?

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Steve Read (29th Apr 2007 - 18:24:29) Wow! That was quick James, one would wish all politicians replied as prompt. Wish we'd had you overseeing the crossing in the Headley Rd. Seriously, with only so much you can recycle ( I have serious reservations about how much is actually recycled) it still does not add up to the amount of waste that needs to be disposed of EVERY WEEK. This becomes a serious health issue as Mike has already stated especially in the summer. My suggestion would be go back to the weekly collections of general waste and have the recycle bins emtied every fortnight. Its not a case of educating us into recycling more I would like to think that has already been done. but the fact being only a certain amount can be put into the green bins whilst the majority still goes in the black ones. As Alan stated maybe something should be done at source.

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Eneida (29th Apr 2007 - 19:20:05) I must be honest and admit that now we are used to the two weekly cycle, our green bin is very rarely full and our black recycling bin always is!!! I don't have a problem with maggots either....I just make sure that any food waste that can't be composted, is very well wrapped up. Of course, we're a family of 2 humans and 2 cats, so it's not much of a problem. I'm sure it's a lot harder for people with young children and babies....nappies and all that sort of thing. Eneida

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Mike Grimes (30th Apr 2007 - 00:06:41) We are a family of four and can just about get away with the volume of general waste allowed in a AWC. luckily they will always collect additional containers of recyclables, and we always have a few. We do not have the time, however, to repackage every bit of household waste and that does not sound very green anyway so we get the smelly maggot infested bins in the summer. They manage two collections in one day on recycling days (one for the black bin, one for garden waste) so why not do domesitic waste every week followed by one of the other two? I certainly would not recycle less if "smelly" waste were collected more frequently. I'm rather more concerned, however, that there are no comments from any of the prospective council candidates that are asking for our votes this week. I do not see the need for local council candidates to be associated with national political parties. People will vote for coloured cabbages on issues that local politicians can do nothing about. I picked the Bin issue because they can (at the moment).

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - James Arbuthnot (30th Apr 2007 - 11:02:36) Oh, and another thing. I always think, as I put my green waste in the black bin and my bad waste in the green bin, that if only we could somehow swap them round ... Or would that be altogether too complicated to organise?

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Eneida (30th Apr 2007 - 11:25:30) Well, James, I've always thought that would have been the logical way round to begin with....but then I'm not at all certain that the words 'logic' and 'Councils' are that compatible!!! ;) Eneida

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - sam james (30th Apr 2007 - 15:56:24) Alternate weekly collection was introduced by the Conservative administration at EHDC with the support of the Liberal Democrats. it is working successfully and there are no plans to change the system. East Hampshire has one of the best recycling records in the country thanks to the efforts of the residents. regards Sam James

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Mike Grimes (1st May 2007 - 00:55:39) Sam, Thanks for the comment. My point, though, was that although your small piece in the election mailing told us all about your past and your dog, Frisbee, it did not say much about what you want to change and why we should vote for you. Incidentally, in many towns in France domestic waste is collected three times a week in the summer. I suspect that their councillors think that this is quite successful and possibly come to that conclusion without asking the constituents. Just a thought.

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - JWM (1st May 2007 - 17:36:44) Whilst I'm all for recycling, there was a programme on television showing that a large amount of recycled waste actually ended up in the same landfill site as ordinary waste anyway.

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Sue Marshall (1st May 2007 - 18:04:10) We too have got used to the AWC bin collections. I have managed to overcome the maggot problem by keeping a plastic carrier bag in my freezer drawer. I put all the maggot-attracting waste in there and just put the bag and frozen contents into the bin on collection day. Not so easy if you haven't got a freezer of course. Sue

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Steve Read (1st May 2007 - 18:28:39) I really couldn't care less if the Raving Looney Party had introduced this collection system, supported by the Save The Grey Squirrel Party. The fact remains this does not work especially in the summer months. Reading Mr.James statement on here which incidently read like something out of our Partners newsletter, on what basis does he presume that the system is working well. Have we been asked in a survey etc. EHDC could be the leading lights in Europe on recycling for what its worth but it still does not address the issue of our MAIN bin getting emptied quick enough. Ask people and they will tell you the same, I'am not talking about 1 or 2 people living in one house, families with children or grown up children still living at home these are the people struggling with this system. Still the old recycling bins will be getting worked overtime in the next week or two with the local elections taking place and the consequent political floss that adorns our letterboxes. I vote for Frisbee!

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - gen (2nd May 2007 - 10:12:53) Oh, James! How I agree about the colour of the bins. I have to remind myself still that I have to put my 'green' waste in the black bin and put it out with the green sacks. Absolute madness to make it the wrong way round when we are all trying so hard to think 'green'. My re-cycling bin is always nearly full - and there are only two of us. I don't usually flatten cardboard boxes, though, so perhaps that's why. Maybe everyone isn't putting as much as they could in it? Those plastic milk bottles (minus tops, of course) take up a lot of room, tins, rinsed out, account for quite a bit - and what about all that junk mail?

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Eneida (2nd May 2007 - 10:45:29) Talking about recycling junk mail... don't forget all these magazines the Council keeps sending us!! I received one from West Sussex Council last week...it had no relevance to me at all, living on the Headley Road in Liphook....but apparently I'm in 'Partnership' with them too....nice to be so popular as long as I don't have to pay towards that one too. Eneida

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - Darren (2nd May 2007 - 20:03:29) Every now and then I have a look at the Liphook Website and what appears to be concerning some of the residents of Liphook. "The Bins" appears to be high on a few peoples thoughts for some reason. Surely by now all the educated adults in this "First world country" can handle putting certain items of refuse into certain bins and putting them out for collection every other week. So the colour of the bins are wrong, (I agree someone at EHDC should have organised that better) why not put a sticker on them telling you which one it is and what to put in it! So your normal refuse bin gets smelly and maggots in it in warm weather! (Has happened to us once since the AWC started) Wrap stuff up properly, keep the lid closed and clean it occassionaly, it is all your own rubbish after all and you need to be responsible for it. This system is here to stay so we all need to start thinking like educated adults and work with it, there simply doesn't appear to be the money around for the council (be it Tory, Labour or LibDem) to collect our waste twice a week unless our council tax goes up drastically or some other service is cut. Come on residents of Liphook, grow up and start being the adults I'm sure you all are. D.

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - gen (2nd May 2007 - 22:46:01) Must say I don't find it a problem, although I do wonder how countries like Spain manage to collect rubbish daily, except for Sunday. EEC money, maybe, although, to be fair, they have done all the time I've had a place out there, 20 odd years.

Re: Local Elections - The Bins - JWM (3rd May 2007 - 18:08:51) Darren, Whilst I (just about) manage with the current system I think it would be better and less of a health issue if it returned to weekly collections. As for asking people to grow up. The council tax isn't exactly cheap and people have evey right to see their mony spent in a way that benefits themselves and the community.

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