'Absurd' scheme will mean some bins left unemptied for two weeks
The news that some Hounslow Borough residents will not have any refuse or recycling collections for two week over the Christmas and New Year period has been met with anger and dismay.
Residents whose normal collection day is Tuesday, will have to hold onto their rubbish until Wednesday 2nd January 2008.
In a letter to Councillor Paul Fisher, Natasha Epstein, Head of Waste Management Services for Hounslow Council stated "This collection model has been chosen for the following reasons, 1) It allows collections to get back to normal collection days as quickly as possible while limiting the disruption to residents (with 2 weeks of changes rather than 3 or sometimes 4 weeks as happened in previous years).
"This is crucial as the streets are generally untidy over the holiday period as people start putting their rubbish out before their normal collection day. The longer bags sit on the street the more unsightly the borough looks and increases the chance of litter as a result of bags being ripped open.
"2) The collection changes model is reasonably repeatable long term with the day of no collection changing every year so residents are only effected once every 5 years (except leap years have an effect on this)."
But residents remain up in arms branding the scheme 'absurd' believing it a cost cutting excercise to avoid paying refuse workers overtime. "To avoid confusion by moving your collection day to the next working day we will simply not collect your rubbish." remarked one resident "It won't cause any problems as long as residents keep the turkey carcass in their living rooms."
He went onto say "There was nothing difficult about the old system - collection days were pushed back by a day for each bank holiday and then recovered a day for each Saturday. It's obvious that this is just about saving a Saturday's payments, and it's a pity the council can't be honest about that."
Hounslow residents are being advised to use recycling banks around the borough, Tesco Osterley or Mogden Lane and Somerfield Brentford are the largest sites in the area. Additional rubbish can also be taken to Space Waye Reuse or Recycling Centre in Pier Road Feltham TW14 0TH or their nearest Reuse and Recycling Centre in neighbouring boroughs.
December 21, 2007