Neighbourhood Recycling Bins To Be Removed
Council claims they encourage fly-tipping and illegal waste disposal
Mixed recycling bins in South Ealing due to be removed
Ealing Council are planning to remove more than 100 neighbourhood recycling bins throughout the borough including several in the Acton area.
The bins - (known as ''bring sites'') which are found in car parks and supermarket grounds, are used for a variety of recycling options such as plastics, paper, glass, clothes and shoes, but won't be available from the end of the month.
Small electrical recycling bin in South Ealing
The removal is part of budget savings for 2021/22 and was agreed by Cabinet. The Council claim the move will help reduce fly-tipping and associated problems, and in a letter sent to councillors, said:
''To better streamline waste services initiatives and for improved service provision, the bring sites will be removed on Saturday 29 May. This would help to improve the street scene and reduce fly-tipping associated with bring sites and poor quality of recycling materials. This would also help reduce the abuse of the amenities by producers of business waste who may have been using these locations illegally.''
Some of the sites where bins will be removed @JKDabrowska via twitter
A list of recycling banks currently in use throughout the borough can be found here.
The council have previously said ''We are working towards a 60% by 2022 recycling rate as a borough, and encourage you to recycle as much as possible to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.''
However, with plans also to close the Acton re-use and recycling centre and a petition signed by nearly 2,500, further objections have been made by opposition councillors to this latest proposal.
Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Gary Malcolm, said, "Liberal Democrats in Ealing think the news from the Council was very sad. and it will lead to more flytipping not less. I have used a number of them and they appear to be well used. It is wrong for the Labour party in Ealing to reduce recycling facilities such as closing the tip in Acton and charge a high cost for waste collection. Liberal Democrats want to encourage people to recycle. Labour's approach will lead to more fly tipping."
Conservative Council Leader, Greg Stafford said: '"Ealing's recycling rate is falling and the closure of Acton Dump and these smaller recycling sites will further reduce the ability of residents to recycle. These sites were in convenient places - such as at supermarkets - and well used by the public. It's totally absurd that they are being removed.
Not only is the cost saving miniscule, the knock on impact of the inevitable flytipping will cost the Council far more than it saves. Once again, Ealing Labour talks a good game on the environment, but its actions demonstrate it really doesn't care. If the Conservatives are elected in 2022 we would reinstate the sites and (if it hasn't been sold for tower blocks) re-open Acton Dump. We want to make it easier for residents to recycle - not harder!''
Litter Action Group for Ealing Residents (LAGER Can) has grown exponentially over the last year with thousands of volunteers now to be seen in their blue hi-vis tops regularly cleaning all parts of the borough. Administrator, Cathy Swift, said, ''I think it's fair to say that news of the closure of the Borough's remaining bring sites has been met with a chorus of disapproval by members of our Facebook group. I understand that these bring sites pre-date doorstep recycling collections for residents, but many, especially those living in flats about shops, have no space for recycling bins.
"Our members challenge the notion that bins - large or small - attract flytipping. Flytippers will fly tip whether there are bins or not. We feel that the Council needs to make it as easy as possible for residents to dispose of their rubbish and recycling responsibly. It seems to us that removing bring sites without offering practical alternatives to all residents, and the planned closure of Acton waste and recycling centre, are sure to increase the amount of rubbish in the Borough's open spaces.'
Ealing Council says, ''The decision has been made as part of measures to reduce fly-tipping, which sometimes associated with bring sites, cut contamination of the borough’s recycling and create a more cost-effective service.
''All residents can continue to make use of kerbside collection service for their recycling. Anyone who requires an addition recycling bin should contact the council to apply.
"The council’s bulky waste collection service can be used for items too big for a normal rubbish collection. Items that cannot be recycled at home, such as electrical items should be taken to one of the borough’s local re-use and recycling centres.''
Find out more about recycling services in Ealing at www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling .
Find LAGER Can on Facebook, @CanLager on Twitter @lagercanealing on Instagram
Annemarie Flanagan
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11th May 2021