Bin collections

[Ihavenojob]

Like most people these days, we have an array of different coloured bins for different things, one for landfill, one for card/paper, one for tins/glass/plastic, one for garden waste, and one for food waste. They are fairly strict on what goes in what bin. Our food waste bin got trashed by the bin men (surprised it lasted this long), so we requested a new one, which could take up to 4 weeks to arrive. I asked what to do with the food waste for now, and was told to just put it in the general waste for landfill. As the amount of food waste is so small, why the need for a separate collection if it's OK to put in the general waste?

 

[motorbiking]

It's one thing I would love to be privatised so I could actually choose a company that would do the job they are paid for and cancel the contract if they didn't

 

[Koolpc]

Going to be a lot of trash talk in this thread, you watch!!

 

[ellal]

It's one thing I would love to be privatised so I could actually choose a company that would do the job they are paid for and cancel the contract if they didn't

Over 25% are already outsourced and in private hands...

But if it were fully privatised, in order for you to choose there would have to be have to be duplicate lorries further clogging up the streets.
With more bins than ever crowding the pavements, since different companies would use different systems based on profits.
And since they would probably be collected on different days, how would you control 'cross dumping' of rubbish?

Would there be more than one central depot in town, or a procession of lorries heading off to landfill?
And what about recycling?

Then of course obviously private companies would be happy with high density areas, but what would happen to rural areas that wouldn't be profitable?

All other privatisations have been a failure for the customer in the UK, and this would be no different!

 

[pete01]

I'm from Birmingham...what's a bin collection?.....

 

[motorbiking]

Over 25% are already outsourced and in private hands...

But if it were fully privatised, in order for you to choose there would have to be have to be duplicate lorries further clogging up the streets.
With more bins than ever crowding the pavements, since different companies would use different systems based on profits.
And since they would probably be collected on different days, how would you control 'cross dumping' of rubbish?

Would there be more than one central depot in town, or a procession of lorries heading off to landfill?
And what about recycling?

Then of course obviously private companies would be happy with high density areas, but what would happen to rural areas that wouldn't be profitable?

maybe if they were competing for business, they'd be willing to actually walk up to where I keep my bins.

All other privatisations have been a failure for the customer in the UK, and this would be no different!

But this comment suggests you are closed to the idea from the get go.

 

[IT Minion]

As the amount of food waste is so small, why the need for a separate collection if it's OK to put in the general waste?

If it is separated out it can be composted and turned into useful material. If it is in the general waste it costs more to dispose of. By recycling it separately you save money for the council.

 

[IT Minion]

maybe if they were competing for business, they'd be willing to actually walk up to where I keep my bins.

But this comment suggests you are closed to the idea from the get go.

If you're willing to pay for the gold standard package, then perhaps they would in your scenario. But that's extra time and so more costs.

You can pay for private bin collections now if you want, but you can't opt out of the bundled one you get with your council tax.

 

[motorbiking]

If you're willing to pay for the gold standard package, then perhaps they would in your scenario. But that's extra time and so more costs.

You can pay for private bin collections now if you want, but you can't opt out of the bundled one you get with your council tax.

A bit like private healthcare

 

[Ihavenojob]

If it is separated out it can be composted and turned into useful material. If it is in the general waste it costs more to dispose of. By recycling it separately you save money for the council.

They don't compost the food waste as it could attract vermin. The council have just invested in a digester for fuel. They also have a giant incinerator, open to several surrounding councils. This creates electricity (along with serious pollution), this electricity supplies a new build estate, I believe that is non negotiable to residents, and is extremely expensive.

 

[Mottie]

We have bin bags. Black ones for non-recyclable and orange ones for recycling - paper, plastic, glass, tin etc. Oh, and green bins for garden waste at £87 a year. For the last couple of years I’ve been taking my garden cuttings and clippings to the allotment to compost but Mrs Mottie has started them up again.

 

[charliegolf]

We have...

Wheelie bin for no recyclables: fortnightly
Canvas bag for tins n plastics
Canvas bag for card and cartons
Food bin
Bottle tub
Paper tub

All but wheelie is weekly. Six seems a stupid amount, but paper and bottles are 'as and when', so only food bin and 2 bags are weekly. Fine by me on the whole.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Just three wheelie bins here - Brown, which we only use very occasionally for garden waste, only using it for hedge trimmings, when we cut the hedge, maybe two of three times a year - we compost everything else, so it usually sits unused. That though, can be emptied every second week. A green one, for paper, card, tins and bottles. A black one for everything else. Both of the latter two, emptied every second week, though we generate very little rubbish, so often, we don't put them out.

 

[MNW67]

A green one, for paper, card, tins and bottles. A black one for everything else. Both of the latter two, emptied every second week.

Same here!

And it's bin night tonight!

 

[ellal]

maybe if they were competing for business, they'd be willing to actually walk up to where I keep my bins.

You mean like the delivery companies that are competing to deliver your goods?
Who often dump your order wherever is as quick as possible because time is money!

And how would you try out different services given you would probably have to enter into individual contracts?
And who would you complain to should your service with a particular company not come up to scratch?
Much easier to have a central contact centre such as the council!

But this comment suggests you are closed to the idea from the get go.

Even a brief look at the history of privatisation of public services/utilities shows that not a single one has improved things...

And the poorest suffer the most from the increased costs and worse services, whilst the companies and rich individuals/shareholders benefit...

Rubbish collection would fare no better if fully privatised.