Topic: | Re: Wheelie Bins - the official reasons | |
Posted by: | Andy Murray | |
Date/Time: | 05/04/13 11:02:00 |
I took the trouble to call Nicola Taylor, the author of the Report on which this decision was based, who very kindly called me back. She is the Principal Waste & Recycling Officer at LB of H. There doesn't seem to be any empirical data for the assumption that 'there is a problem with foxes ripping open black bags'. There probably is in some streets, but not in Grove Park, judging from the photos I took at 11pm and then at 9:30 the next morning on a recent bin day, which showed not a single ripped open black bag. My shots did also indicate a high local commitment to recycling, and a proactive approach to protecting black bags by enclosing them in a range of plastic bins, including wheeled bins in some cases. In other words, our citizens are responsible and proactive and don't need to be nannied. Nicola said the use of wheelie bins will reduce the pavement footprint; it won't, since the other 6 bins are still to be used alongside them. She also said it will improve the street scene; it won't, since even the smallest (140 litre) bin is much bigger than appropriate in our streets. She did say the initiative would be effected alongside education and enforcement. As above, 'we don't need no education', but even so, why not use those first, and then assess the results in a considered way rather than this slapdash, broad brush answer to a problem that has not been defined? |