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Silver lining for waste fiasco

11:46am Tuesday 1st July 2008

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Photograph of the Author By Emma Tilley »

DESPITE receiving thousands of calls from angry residents on its waste hotline, Cotswold District Council is celebrating the soaring recycling rate since the new waste system was launched last Monday.

More than 140 tonnes of recyclables was collected last week compared to 110 tonnes under the old service.

During the same five days, the amount of non-recyclable landfill waste collected has fallen by more than 50 percent.

Waste communications office Mike Harris confirmed he had taken into account when producing these figures that many black bin bags had been left uncollected across the district.

Cllr Mark Tufnell, portfolio holder for the environment, said: "The overriding aim of the new service is to reduce the amount of rubbish we send to landfill sites and to increase the amount of waste we recycle, so these initial figures are hugely encouraging.

"Residents showed great patience and tolerance when the introduction of the service was delayed and there are bound to be some initial teething problems while we all adjust to the changes."

Between last Monday, June 23 and Friday, June 27, SITA collected 143.76 tonnes of recyclables which included 93.71 tonnes of paper and cardboard, 44.34 tonnes of glass and 5.71 tonnes of tins and cans.

Residents are reminded that non-recyclable landfill waste is now only being collected if it is contained within a council-issued grey wheeled bin with the lid closed or council-issued beige bin bags. Any additional waste put out at kerbside will not be collected.

Anyone who has a query about the new waste service should visit www.cotswold.gov.uk or contact the Waste Hotline on 01285 623123.

Your Say YourCirencester

Harry Collier, Tetbury / Malmesbury says...
12:52pm Tue 1 Jul 08

What a farce. Rubbish in beige bags will be collected, rubbish in black bags will not. Tetbury is AWASH with uncollected blag bags. What do we pay our rates and taxes for?

council taxpayer, cirencester says...
1:39pm Tue 1 Jul 08

we are a family of 5 who requested the extra grey bin on day one, this hasnt arrived yet and our one grey bin is overflowing, but they wont collect anything other than whats in a closed bin - how is this going to work?
AND we recycle everything we can.
CDC should have got the system sorted BEFORE announcing that they would only cllect whats in the bin. I understand many people still havent got their grey bins yet ???
Comments like the ones in this article are neither welcome or helpful - get a grip CDC

pete the pirate, says...
4:46pm Tue 1 Jul 08

I'd to know what CDC intends to do about the uncollected black binbags.

unknown, unknown says...
10:46pm Tue 1 Jul 08

we pay our rates and taxes to pay the wages of the people who think up these ideas.. just great isn't it

Al Sepert, Nebraska says...
12:49am Wed 2 Jul 08


When in the Cotswold District change to Waste Management came
To try to save the planet, Mark Tufnell got the blame
He sought to reduce landfill, recycle what could be saved
Following the doctrines of Conservative Leader, Dave.

But changes are unwelcome within some blinkered minds
Especially the Lib Dems, 'cause with change their ranks decline
Seeing the green agenda slipping from their mitts,
They duly called a meeting to sit and talk 'bout it.

"We must save the Planet, protect the environment
Display our Green credentials and not show our dissent."
But up sprang the young pretender, Paul H was his name
"No we should wreck the project, get Conservatives the blame".

"We need uninformed people, who like to make a fuss,
Our own loyal supporters, the folk what vote for us.
Who don't mind food waste rotting, rotting for two weeks,
Or happily pay a big fine, for dumping it in street."

The poor old Leader wavered, then facing sure defeat
He set aside his principles and sounded the retreat.
And so the Lib Dem Army, Paul, Roger, Derrick, Pete
Darren and the Margarets, they all took to the street.

And taking pen and keyboard to papers they did write
Much aided and abetted by the new WAG Web site.
Darren and the others wrote from places near and far
Chesterton and Kemble, Northleach, America.

And while this was proceeding, throughout the Cotswold Lanes
Good people put Grey Bins out this week, and then again.
repeat a fortnight later, it soon became a habit.
and the stout bins protected the waste from Fox and Rabbit.

And as in time this episode, passes from headlines
And all hard work forgotten, to history consigned.
When even hardline Lib Dems to change have 'come inured
They'll find something else to moan about, of that you can be sure

copyright Alvin McDonald Douglas Sepert. MMVIII

pete the pirate, says...
10:04am Wed 2 Jul 08

Not a bad effort Al, but while I won't be picking up the pile of bags outside my gate, I'm certainly not a Lib Dem. Not everyone is political.
As a counciltax payer I'm entitled to make a fuss. I don't usually complain.
What's more, the highhanded and arrogant attitiude I've encountered on the phone with CDC makes the opportunity to comment on this website all the more valuable.
I would have put this more poetically but iambic pentameter is beyond me.

Rodneyhiggs, cirencester says...
12:22pm Wed 2 Jul 08

The whole scheme a total farce, this week CDC failed to collect my Garden waste even though all the bins, bags and boxes stood together. Phoned the action line only to be asked was the contents all Garden Waste and did I have a licence. They informed me they would correct Tuesday but no and the bin remains aoutside my door and I am paying a exra prenium for the privaledge of my bin not being emptied. Wake up CDC you have your head in the sand and the whole scheme is going backwards. This is a wake up call to all those who think the scheme is a success?

dot cotton, eastenders says...
10:45pm Wed 2 Jul 08

I can understand the need to recycle, but how the council can justify £25 pounds for 25 beige bags makes me really angry. we pay our council tax, recycle all our bits, travel to the bottle banks, and come christmas cdc will be laughing at the extra money they will make in bin bags. So just what does our money go on. they supply one tiny kitchen caddy knowing fullwell it will not be big enough, then you have to purchase the bio bags to go in them. Then they expect £30 a year to collect your garden waste. Now take a look at our town, full with bin bags everywhere, the cats are starting to rip them apart it is a complete mess. Give it time and this town will just be a dumping ground.
How lovely

Crispin Mount, South Cerney says...
10:27am Sun 6 Jul 08

The Tories have succeeded in turning Cirencester into Naples and I will not forgive them.

The policy was flawed from the word go as they made it too complex - take a trip to Basildon where the Council take it all away in one sack and they do the work of sifting later - not us residents. They also have lower Council Tax I wonder why !

Anthony, Northleach says...
3:59pm Sun 6 Jul 08

'Al' is of course Tory councillor Geoffrey Adams. The poetry is funny, Geoffrey, but you're completely out of touch!

Your sayYourCirencester

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