Blackthorn Village

Today (July 20) is a normal recycling day where we all put out our full recycle blue bins and any excess cardboard etc.

Today any additional recycling material was left untouched by the collectors and a red notice was left saying "no excess waste to be collected unless in blue bin". So this is new to me as I have never seen this ever.

It goes on to say that we should go to the nearest household centre which is a good 40min round trip consuming around a gallon of petrol and the hassle.

How can their recycling attitude help the environment as we will:
a) increase our carbon foot print and take the stuff to the dump if we are bothered
b) say No and put it in the green bin - end of recylcing attitude hard won by the council
c) encourage fly tipping
d) confirms that the council doesnt have a recylcing attitude rather an attitude or ceparating waste to reduce costs else it would have resolved this in a more satisfactory way.

What happens at Christmas when there will be loads of excess waste? It cant be treated as special as it is no different to what is going on now.

Surely if there is a regular amount of "excess waste" then the council should provice another Blue bin as that is their argument, we didnt have enough room in our single bin. Whats the difference.

Having lived in Switzerland who were 20 years ahead in recycling, I have never know this to happen.

We phoned the council on the number provided and they told us that in the past 7 years they did it as a gesture...to the whole of Cherwell.
I wanted to alert you and I encourage you to complain and voice your displeasure.

Phone: 01295 2210940
Email: customer.service@cherwell-dc.gov.uk

Andy

I think you should set up an on-line petition mate and then forward the details to us all so we can add our names. As you say, makes no sense at all

Dear All
For as long as we have lived in Blackthorn if we have ever had excess blue bin waste (no matter how much) the dustmen have always collected it without question.

Well today it all changed!!!

I had a full blue bin and had left 3 boxes (about the size that hold 6 bottles of wine) and each were full of folded excess cardboard that I could not fit in my blue bin plus a large compostable bin liner full of my shredded waste.
Well when I went out to collect my empty blue bin I noticed that the recycling that had been left at the side of the bin stated:
Cherwell
District Council
North Oxfordshire
Your excess waster was not collected today.
Waste places outside or on top of
your wheeled bin will not be
collected.

You can take additional waster to the
Household Waster Recycling Centres
Near Alkerton and Ardley
If you require additional recycling
containers or information about the
recycling scheme please
visit our web site www.cherwell-dc.gov.uk
Email:
customer.service@cherwell-dc.gov.uk
or call 01295 221 940

I am absolutely furious and called up the number quoted at the bottom of the note.

The lady (Caroline) that I spoke to had not heard of this with blue bins before (which I found odd as it was news to her also) and that she only knew it to occur for green bins - so she then called me back after enquiring more herself stating that the dustmen don't have to collect anything outside the blue bin and that if I ever get excess blue bin waste then I should call the council to log it so that it could be flagged for “possible collection” but still seems to be at the discretion of the dustmen.

I just think this is an absolute outrage as we have never been informed of such information given that we have never had issues on this in the past 7 years of being in Blackthorn.
Also Andy and I have always been keen recyclers and this kind of behaviour by the council is going to put people off of recycling and putting excess waste (that could be recycled) into their green bins instead.

Why on earth are most people going to drive all the way to Ardley (great for the carbon footprint – NOT!) to drop off a few boxes when it is easier for them to put them in their green bins.

If I had put it in a small blue bin next to the blue bin they would have picked it up I guess but why do I want to pay extra money for a few extra blue bins that I will only use every so often when I have excess recycling when it is no more physical trouble for them to just pick up what I had packaged appropriately in the first place. And often we all get large bulky cardboard from appliances that would not fit in them anyway

I just thought I would let you all know in case you also have left any excess recycling today and are faced with this.
I am awaiting an official call back from the council recycling department and will update you if I hear any more information

Yours frustrated
Sue

Got an email saying its been forwarded to the correct department. In the meantime we got a visit from a gent who agreed that it was a bit silly what had happened adn gave us a Blue bin which we are happy to share.