Residents on the Isle of Wight have started to receive either a new black wheelie bin or gull-proof sacks in preparation for the way household waste is collected from 2nd May.
Through the changes the Isle of Wight council are aiming to encourage more recycling, which brings money into the council and less waste going to landfill, which costs the council money and is less environmentally friendly.
Amey, the company with the 25 year waste disposal contract, have re-assessed all properties on the Island as to their suitability for wheelie bins (and size of).
Mass outrage
However, in the first week of the new bins being dispatched across the Island, an online petition has been created calling on the council to rethink their policy.
Set up by Julie King of Cowes, at time of publishing over 900 residents have signed the Change.org petition, angry at the allocation of 140 litre black wheelie bins.
New bins are “too small”
Many argue the bin is not going to be large enough to hold two week’s black bag waste and say the council have been allocating the wrong size bins to any households of over three people.
The petition reads,
“The residents of the Isle of Wight have not been consulted about the changes to our waste collection, which we believe we should have been. Households up to 5 are only being given a 140 litre black bin which supposedly holds 4 black sacks of rubbish.
I’ve tested mine, it holds 2 full bags and almost half of another! A household of 3 upwards will make more rubbish than one of 1 to 2. You haven’t taken into account pets who make rubbish, especially those who eat food pouches as they’re not recyclable.
I want the policy changed so that either larger bins are provided to larger families (not just 6 or over) or it is agreed black sacks left at the kerbside will be collected.
If the whole Island is expected to take their own excess rubbish to the tip it will increase fly tipping (that will be nice for visitors), rubbish piled up in gardens and will increase car fumes (not good for the environment, contradicts why we’re encouraged to recycle) and increase traffic, possibly causing congestion at the tips (one of which is closing soon for improvements).
If people choose to put their rubbish in neighbour’s bins it could lead to conflict. Salford Council, Chichester Council and others use 140 litre bins but for single occupants only, the standard size they issue is 240 litres and 360 litres for a household of 6 or more. Please change the size of our bins Isle of Wight Council and Amey.”
Public consultation
The Isle of Wight council did hold a public consultation in 2014 on waste collection and recycling prior to the selection of bidder for the 25 year contract.
More comments on the subject can be found on the online petition.
OnTheWight will get in touch with the IWC on Monday for a response to the petition and update once we hear back from them.
