Variable Charging for Waste Collection

[Darren Reynolds]

Hi folks

So, how do you guys feel about your participation in local democracy?

You wrote; you got action.

Did it work for you? Can we do it again? What next?

Best
Darren

[Robert]

I think we should wait and see really what happens because of this. A lot of talk with little followed action is of little use to anyone.

A lot of measures and proposals often have good reasons behind them which are well supported but it will be interesting to see how shop owners respond. Providing areas for recycling may prove too costly for some shop owners and support will need to be provided to those struggling to dispose of the packaging before they leave the store. However I can't see why the supermarkets can't take these steps. I was in Tesco's today for the first time in 2 years and was amazed just how big that store is now.

I have been informed that Cllr Wilkinson brought up the effects this could have on small shops in the meeting which needs to be considered as well as demonstrating the packaging that comes with cakes and biscuits. She mentioned that we should be lobbying Europe who are behind the legislation that ensures our foods are well packaged and that Burnley should take the lead in this area. Especially given that Europe are behind the legislation which requires us to recycle more and its unclear as to whether the packaging can be recycled by Burnley Borough Council or not with different councils able to recycle different types of plastic.

As we are a free-trade town, why not further boost our credentials by becoming a plastic bag free town and take the lead as well there. It's being done in Hebden Bridge and was done not far from where I used to work in Modbury, Devon. Modbury South Devon, Britain's First Plastic Bag Free Town

These "green" credentials go hand in hand with the greenness we should be promoting with our surrounding countryside which we should strive to be keeping clean, a lovely quiet part of the river calder I visited recently was in a mess with a fallen tree in the river catching all the plastic bags and rubbish that was flowing down stream.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Plastic bag free town - that sounds like an interesting challenge. I wonder how well it works. People tend to re-use carrier bags as waste bin liners so I wonder if the sale of bin liners goes up when there are fewer carrier bags.

[Robert]

It appears plastic bags were mentioned in the meeting, which is to be commended.

Plastic bags to be banned from Burnley? - Burnley Express

[cheeky monkey]

Originally Posted by Weehen

Any profit would see a rise in their already healthy pensions it would not be passed back to the taxpayers. Councils dont work that way (I could have left off the last two words!).




Did this really happen? Where? Can I find out more anywhere online?

Yes this did happen, but only in one part of our town, as if we dont all have "kitchen waste" as for details about it I would suggest asking Cllr Reynolds about in on here so he can explain to everybody at once about it, Not very well publicised at the time was it? Methinks the LibDem's did'nt want people to know, Forever chasing the vote.

[Darren Reynolds]

With respect to kitchen waste collections ...

Originally Posted by Weehen

Did this really happen? Where? Can I find out more anywhere online?

Yes, it did. A pilot kitchen waste recycling scheme was introduced in partnership with Groundwork in Daneshouse and Stoneyholme to a very limited number of interested households. The success of this scheme was limited due to the low number of participating households (around 75).

The principle objective was to reduce rat populations. The vermin problem is exacerbated when food waste is left out as food for wild animals, as when stale bread is thrown out for birds. There is a particular tradition in the Muslim community that no food should be wasted, so there is broadly a greater problem around those households than elsewhere. Recycling food waste allows the tradition to be upheld whilst eliminating the problem of feeding vermin.

There is some suggestion that a more widespread scheme could have a greater impact. All things considered, the council is currently of the view that there are more cost-effective ways of keeping the rat population under control. I am told that by 2011 the kitchen waste scheme will be a government requirement whether or not and on that basis it is eventually likely to be re-introduced.

Originally Posted by cheeky monkey

Methinks the LibDem's did'nt want people to know, Forever chasing the vote.

I ought to point out that whilst the scheme was continued by the Lib Dems until the pilot completed, it was originally introduced by the previous Labour-run administration.

Originally Posted by cheeky monkey

Was it your ward where this happened Darren?

No. The trial by the Labour-administration took place in the ward where it stood the most chance of success: Daneshouse and Stoneyholme. It was planned before my election to the Queensgate ward.

There is some further information here:
Burnley Borough Council - Search Results

[magic85]

Council tax is expensive anyway, we all pay for it and we all have rubbish. Instead they should give a discount for those who recycle. Some people can't be bothered with recycling, maybe that will encourage some of them.

[Darren Reynolds]

Originally Posted by magic85

Council tax is expensive anyway, we all pay for it and we all have rubbish. Instead they should give a discount for those who recycle. Some people can't be bothered with recycling, maybe that will encourage some of them.

That's interesting and far more workable here than the government's proposals.

Have you given any thought to the problem of people putting non-recyclable materials into the recycable waste in order to claim additional discount? Or the practicalities of weighing everyone's rubbish? I think it would need RFID chips in everyone's bins and weighing machines built into the refuse trucks.

Any thoughts?

[cheeky monkey]

I have a thought, If the non Asians throw food out for the birds we may be able to have weekly collections for our "Kitchen waste" Now we know the criterea I am sure it will catch on, Just a quick point, The white people have been feeding the birds for generations Darren.

[Darren Reynolds]

Originally Posted by cheeky monkey

I have a thought, If the non Asians throw food out for the birds we may be able to have weekly collections for our "Kitchen waste" Now we know the criterea I am sure it will catch on.

I hope not, because anyone who gets caught doing it will be fined £75 a time.

[cheeky monkey]

Originally Posted by Darren Reynolds

I hope not, because anyone who gets caught doing it will be fined £75 a time.

Unless they are Asians? then they could have funding for a weekly collection.

[Lordmagic]

There are often mixed messages sent out regarding this subject by councils as the collections often fail from the offset, in saying that, I would like to point out that there must be suitable containers to enable households to collect waste and to manoeuvre the containers containing waste to a point for collection.

Darren

May I ask in what type of container is food waste stored in?

In my opinion the container would have to be easy to manoeuvre by the householder, the storage container should have the ability to lock in bad odour, should be easy to store either inside or outside the home. Unlike the bits and bats of blowaway sacks and blue boxes that forever seem to go missing, this year alone I have had to telephone 3 times for replacement sacks and on 2 occasions my blue box and/or lid had vanished. A point to remember here is that any container of this sort used for recycling has to be of substance to enable it to stay at the roadside for most of the day untill people return from work in order to be retrieved again.

Failure to plan is most definately a plan for failure as most are aware.

Another hyperthetical question here:

Should the sale of 'wild bird' seed and 'fatballs', etc, be banned as this is also ready made lunch for vermins too (rats can climb trees you know).

Whatever the council decides it has to be practicle but most of all work 100% for its success!