Brown Bin Collection Charge

[johnbc70]

Edinburgh council are introducing a £25 a year charge to pick up your brown garden waste bin I see.

Apparently 67,000 will opt out so where are they going to put their waste? Dump it somewhere no doubt.

My local councillor (Labour) blaming the Scottish Government for cutting the council budget so sacrifices have to be made.

Personally £25 a year is affordable so I will opt in, if it keeps other essential services going then its a good thing. If your on reduced council tax you get an exemption.

[Jack]

A couple of years ago my wife and I tackled our backgreen after some 20+ years of neglect. It's tidy now and we've spent a few hundred quid and goodness knows how many hours. We got a brown bin a couple of years ago and have used the diminishing service regularly since then.

No-one else in the stair (14 flats) cares never mind contributing time or money.

Does anyone how they intend to charge tenement dwellers?

Personally I think it's ridiculous. It's the council that is responsible for meeting recycling targets and households are already helping by separating out paper, glass, food and garden waste etc.. Now they've started charging for garden waste how long before they think they can get away with charging for the others?

Stuff them! I'd use the communal bins before I'd pay it. I suspect my wife will just cough up.

[Peevemor]

Given the state of the planet, sorting out recycling stuff isn't helping anybody but ourselves. It's a habit that we all have to get into.

As for garden waste, why shouldn't those who use the service pay for it. Across here you have to take it to the dump yourself (the closest to my place is 5-6 miles away). I'd happily pay £25 per year to have it collected.

[barcahibs]

Given the state of the planet, sorting out recycling stuff isn't helping anybody but ourselves. It's a habit that we all have to get into.

As for garden waste, why shouldn't those who use the service pay for it. Across here you have to take it to the dump yourself (the closest to my place is 5-6 miles away). I'd happily pay £25 per year to have it collected.

Its a nightmare for conservation. I spent two days last year with a bunch of volunteers clearing a New Zealand flatworm infestation from round a wildlife pond. Really horrible, hard, unpleasant work, sifting through hundreds of spadefuls of soil pulling out worms and their eggs. Not to mention allthe days pulling balsam, spraying knotweed, burning rhody, pulling spanish bluebells, etc etc.

The flatworms arrived on the Nature Reserve through people dumping their garden rubbish, and its just the tip of the iceberg. Thousands of damaging invasive plants and insects arrive in our wild spaces by people irresponsibly dumping their garden waste. Charges like this will just make it ten times worse.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

People that pay the charge will probably find that others will start filling their bins for them, particularly where tenements are involved.

[johnbc70]

People that pay the charge will probably find that others will start filling their bins for them, particularly where tenements are involved.

If tenement residents club together and get 1 bin between them that's just over £3 a year each. There will always be some though that just won't pay no matter what.

[Jack]

Given the state of the planet, sorting out recycling stuff isn't helping anybody but ourselves. It's a habit that we all have to get into.

As for garden waste, why shouldn't those who use the service pay for it. Across here you have to take it to the dump yourself (the closest to my place is 5-6 miles away). I'd happily pay £25 per year to have it collected.

It's not a new service, if it was I'd agree.

It's a service that was included and paid for in taxes to the local authority.

I think in your case it would be like the dump starting to charge you for using it.

[Jack]

If tenement residents club together and get 1 bin between them that's just over £3 a year each. There will always be some though that just won't pay no matter what.

I take it you've never tried to organise anything like that in a tenement? :-)

[johnbc70]

I take it you've never tried to organise anything like that in a tenement? :-)

Similar things so appreciate it's difficult, probably nearly impossible.

[Bristolhibby]

It's not a new service, if it was I'd agree.

It's a service that was included and paid for in taxes to the local authority.

I think in your case it would be like the dump starting to charge you for using it.

Tough times, balance the books, all in this together, etc.

Councils across the U.K. are having to make tough decisions on the pittance they have to spend on services.

My council (Wiltshire) did this a couple of years ago. And brought in alternating fortnightly rubbish collection (one week blue wheelie bin and black box recycling, next week rubbish wheelie bin).

I have to say, my grass clippings just appear in the field opposite my house now, as I didn’t see the point in a brown wheelie bin as my patches of grass are quite small.

J

[danhibees1875]

I've no idea if I have a brown bin. I'm in a tenement and a factor maintains the garden for everyone. I'll probably look in to opting out I suppose, hadn't heard of this until now.

[Hibrandenburg]

There needs to be a major change in people's attitudes before any recycling schemes will work. First we'll have to accept that protecting our environment comes at a cost but that cost is nothing compared to the consequences if we don't.

[johnbc70]

I've no idea if I have a brown bin. I'm in a tenement and a factor maintains the garden for everyone. I'll probably look in to opting out I suppose, hadn't heard of this until now.

You don't opt out, you opt in. So in your case probably nothing to do.

[danhibees1875]

You don't opt out, you opt in. So in your case probably nothing to do.

Sorry, misread your OP. Thanks. :aok:

[Pretty Boy]

There needs to be a major change in people's attitudes before any recycling schemes will work. First we'll have to accept that protecting our environment comes at a cost but that cost is nothing compared to the consequences if we don't.

A cost that will will have the biggest impact on those who can least afford it though. Much like the cuts to services enforced by the ill thought out council tax freeze in the 1st place actually.

[johnbc70]

A cost that will will have the biggest impact on those who can least afford it though. Much like the cuts to services enforced by the ill thought out council tax freeze in the 1st place actually.

No charge if your on any kind of council tax discount.

Even still 48p a week seems affordable.

[Colr]

Edinburgh council are introducing a £25 a year charge to pick up your brown garden waste bin I see.

Apparently 67,000 will opt out so where are they going to put their waste? Dump it somewhere no doubt.

My local councillor (Labour) blaming the Scottish Government for cutting the council budget so sacrifices have to be made.

Personally £25 a year is affordable so I will opt in, if it keeps other essential services going then its a good thing. If your on reduced council tax you get an exemption.

Haringey did the same thing last year only its £75 a year. I guess folk can compost it but I thought the council would be doing that as well.

[Pretty Boy]

No charge if your on any kind of council tax discount.

Even still 48p a week seems affordable.

It's not just the brown bin charge I'm referring to.

The single use plastics issue has a cost being passed on to the consumer, often combined with blatant profiteering and misleading information.

The bin charge is part of a wider issue of a local taxation system that isn't fit for purpose.

[Colr]

It's not just the brown bin charge I'm referring to.

The single use plastics issue has a cost being passed on to the consumer, often combined with blatant profiteering and misleading information.

The bin charge is part of a wider issue of a local taxation system that isn't fit for purpose.

It’s because people go ape**** when taxes go up.

[Peevemor]

Haringey did the same thing last year only its £75 a year. I guess folk can compost it but I thought the council would be doing that as well.We bought a wooden composter from our local waste department for about £20. It's up to everyone to work together, from central government down to individual households. If we can all eventually change our habits then things won't necessarily be more expensive in the long run.

The first thing to sort out is the ridiculous amount of packaging that comes with almost everything we buy.

[Peevemor]

It's not a new service, if it was I'd agree.

It's a service that was included and paid for in taxes to the local authority.

I think in your case it would be like the dump starting to charge you for using it.

Funnily (or not) enough. They've just started a card access at the local dump. Unlimited access for garden waste and something like 10 visits per year for other stuff. I'll be surprised if there isnt a rise in fly tipping.

[sleeping giant]

The first thing to sort out is the ridiculous amount of packaging that comes with almost everything we buy.
:agree:

Some packaging for items is criminal.
Easter Eggs should be banned until they come up with alternative packaging

[Pretty Boy]

We bought a wooden composter from our local waste department for about £20. It's up to everyone to work together, from central government down to individual households. If we can all eventually change our habits then things won't necessarily be more expensive in the long run.

The first thing to sort out is the ridiculous amount of packaging that comes with almost everything we buy.

A lot of the issue is there simply isn't an infrastructure in place for the end user to do their bit and much of the information given to consumers is misleading or confusing.

PLA is the bets example I can think off, it's an issue I encounter daily at work. PLA is a great product if it is disposed off correctly. The issue is there simply aren't enough facilities in place for it to be disposed off properly. The companies producing it know this but continue to market it as a 'green alternative' to plastic, take aways and so on using this buy it in good faith because they are fed incorrect information and people walk out their shop with an 'eco friendly' cup. The problem arises because very few recycling areas have PLA specific bins, most cafes and restaurants also don't outwith their own kitchens. If PLA is put into standard plastic recycling it contaminates the whole product and all of it ends up at landfill, if PLA is put into a normal bin it ends up on landfill. It must be disposed off either with compostable food waste or completely separately. How many facilities exist to do this? How many shops make their customers aware of this?

It's one example of a wider problem.

[Colr]

We bought a wooden composter from our local waste department for about £20. It's up to everyone to work together, from central government down to individual households. If we can all eventually change our habits then things won't necessarily be more expensive in the long run.

The first thing to sort out is the ridiculous amount of packaging that comes with almost everything we buy.

Litle portable chipper would be good as well. Don’t know if such a thing exists.

[Peevemor]

A lot of the issue is there simply isn't an infrastructure in place for the end user to do their bit and much of the information given to consumers is misleading or confusing.

PLA is the bets example I can think off, it's an issue I encounter daily at work. PLA is a great product if it is disposed off correctly. The issue is there simply aren't enough facilities in place for it to be disposed off properly. The companies producing it know this but continue to market it as a 'green alternative' to plastic, take aways and so on using this buy it in good faith because they are fed incorrect information and people walk out their shop with an 'eco friendly' cup. The problem arises because very few recycling areas have PLA specific bins, most cafes and restaurants also don't outwith their own kitchens. If PLA is put into standard plastic recycling it contaminates the whole product and all of it ends up at landfill, if PLA is put into a normal bin it ends up on landfill. It must be disposed off either with compostable food waste or completely separately. How many facilities exist to do this? How many shops make their customers aware of this?

It's one example of a wider problem.At least it will decompose if it finishes as landfill. The issue for the time being is éducation and effort.

The bigger issue is that the global economy is built on chucking stuff away.

[Peevemor]

Litle portable chipper would be good as well. Don’t know if such a thing exists.I got one of these from Lidl 8 years ago for about £50. I use it about once a year when I do the big garden clear up.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180402/e4f01125f840bf17452fb668790aa890.jpg

[Pretty Boy]

At least it will decompose if it finishes as landfill. The issue for the time being is éducation and effort.

The bigger issue is that the global economy is built on chucking stuff away.

PLA takes decades to decompose at landfill. It requires very specific conditions to hit the 3-6 month waffle you will read in the marketing.

I agree about the wider issue.

[Hibrandenburg]

Attitudes need to change. The goal has to be that as much waste as possible gets recycled and that it costs as little as possible for the consumer.

We have free yellow bags that can be picked up from various shops and official offices like libraries. These are used for collecting recyclables like plastic and the company that collects them makes a profit on them after they separate them and sell them on. Only 20% of the rubbish collected in these bags is then considered unusable because the people have been educated as to what's recyclable and what's not.

We have blue bins for paper collection. Again this is free of charge because the company that collects it makes a profit by processing and selling on the paper.

We have brown bins for food waste that is also free for the user as the company that collects it makes a profit. Food waste is mainly used in the production of bio gas and compost.

I have my own composter in my garden and most of my garden waste goes in there and produces great compost on a continuous cycle, what goes in on top comes out the bottom about 2 years later in the form of excellent top soil. What I can't compost is the large cuttings from my trees and hedges, they have to be either taken to the dump at a cost of €3 per cubic meter or picked up once a month in recycling bags that I can buy for €1.50 in most flower shops or garden centres.

The rest rubbish that has to be disposed of gets put in an 80 litre bin that gets collected fortnightly, because I separate most of my rubbish this bin usually takes at least a month to fill and in the winter I only have to put it out every 6 weeks or so. Most of the rubbish collected in this bin ends in a landfill but technology is already starting to come online that burns it and filters out the carbon emissions and other gasses in the process.

All this is only possible because the people here understand the need to do this and are willing to make the time and effort to help solve the problem. Like I said earlier it's all about attitude and once you've created the right attitude the solutions will follow.

[lapsedhibee]

Edinburgh council are introducing a £25 a year charge to pick up your brown garden waste bin I see.


Oh goodie. Lots of arguments between neighbours about burning leaves.

[Peevemor]

My brother-in-law works for Bic. His factory, which is Bic's biggest but not the only one, produces 5 million lighters per DAY. Even as a smoker, that worries me.

[Jack]

My brother-in-law works for Bic. His factory, which is Bic's biggest but not the only one, produces 5 million lighters per DAY. Even as a smoker, that worries me.

Ah but from that only 3 will work!

[barcahibs]

Tough times, balance the books, all in this together, etc.

Councils across the U.K. are having to make tough decisions on the pittance they have to spend on services.

My council (Wiltshire) did this a couple of years ago. And brought in alternating fortnightly rubbish collection (one week blue wheelie bin and black box recycling, next week rubbish wheelie bin).

I have to say, my grass clippings just appear in the field opposite my house now, as I didn’t see the point in a brown wheelie bin as my patches of grass are quite small.

J

See? (Not aiming this at you Bristolhibby, obviously i don't know your specific circumstances) In the wrong place even grass clippings dumped on a 'field' can destroy wildflowers, spread invasive seeds, insects and eggs.

Its going to cost us all more in the long run.

[hibby6270]

Have lived in a Leith tenement block for over 30 years and have never seen a brown street bin around our area. Possibly because our back green is fully paved and it’s not needed.

We have big black bins for general waste (including glass) and big green bins for recycling paper, plastic, etc. That’s it!!!

So glad I live in the backwater of Leith where dealing with rubbish is oh so simple.:greengrin

Someone mentioned earlier “better watch out Clowncil will start charging for all the types of bin”.
Errmm!! - correct me if I’m wrong but is that not what Council Tax is for?:confused:

[lord bunberry]

I’ll just pay it. £25 a year is nothing really. I pay a guy to come and clean my wheelie bins and that costs more than it will to get the brown bin emptied. I don’t consider myself to be a big environmentalist, but the system the council have introduced in Edinburgh works really well, and that’s not something you can say very often about Edinburgh council.

[snooky]

Edinburgh council are introducing a £25 a year charge to pick up your brown garden waste bin I see.

Apparently 67,000 will opt out so where are they going to put their waste? Dump it somewhere no doubt.

My local councillor (Labour) blaming the Scottish Government for cutting the council budget so sacrifices have to be made.

Personally £25 a year is affordable so I will opt in, if it keeps other essential services going then its a good thing. If your on reduced council tax you get an exemption.

In the green bin :cb

[snooky]

Edinburgh council are introducing a £25 a year charge to pick up your brown garden waste bin I see.

Apparently 67,000 will opt out so where are they going to put their waste? Dump it somewhere no doubt.

My local councillor (Labour) blaming the Scottish Government for cutting the council budget so sacrifices have to be made.

Personally £25 a year is affordable so I will opt in, if it keeps other essential services going then its a good thing. If your on reduced council tax you get an exemption.

:yawn:

[Moulin Yarns]

Local authorities have a range of statutory duties, such as education, housing, roads, social care and household waste. Collecting garden waste is not one of them so they are looking to recover the costs by charging. You will find there are other things that are being charged for which were previously free, street naming and numbering for example, but because it generally doesn't affect the public you are not aware of it.

[SouthsideHarp_Bhoy]

I’ll just pay it. £25 a year is nothing really. I pay a guy to come and clean my wheelie bins and that costs more than it will to get the brown bin emptied. I don’t consider myself to be a big environmentalist, but the system the council have introduced in Edinburgh works really well, and that’s not something you can say very often about Edinburgh council.

Agree, it seems pretty good to me.

I dont think its unreasonable to charge for it, as you say it still seems like a good deal.

[snooky]

Agree, it seems pretty good to me.

I dont think its unreasonable to charge for it, as you say it still seems like a good deal.

The trouble with any new "nominal" charge for something, is that it ferments and becomes "substantial" within a few years.

[Moulin Yarns]

The trouble with any new "nominal" charge for something, is that it ferments and becomes "substantial" within a few years.

Perth and Kinross introduced the £25 charge on 1st April next April it is to go up to £35

[SouthsideHarp_Bhoy]

The trouble with any new "nominal" charge for something, is that it ferments and becomes "substantial" within a few years.

Yeah, a very good point. These things tend to be ratchets in that they only go one way.