From Helen R

Thursday, 1 April 2010

Not had a problem with my bins, but have a problem with the recycling. My paper wasn’t taken last week when it was supposed to be, and I’ve had a bag of clothes in my recycling box for ages that they seem to be ignoring, despite saying that they will collect it in the fliers they send round.

I wish we could go back to having Kerbside, they didn’t leave as much mess and they took the stuff they said they would. Sita may be cheaper, but that economy comes at a price. The price being poor customer service and a lack of efficiency.

From Felicity Potter

Friday, 2 April 2010

They don’t take batteries either. Does anyone know of anywhere that will take batteries that’s accessible without a car? I have a pack of batteries out of an old dustbuster and the instructions say they mustn’t go to landfill because they’re toxic. Yes, bring back Kerbside!

From Janice S

Friday, 2 April 2010

Regarding batteries, in the window of Boots in Crown Street, there are some battery recycling containers so it looks like you can drop them off there.

As for stuff not being collected, I have an intermittent problem with this although it’s been OK lately. I’ve emailed Calderdale Council if it happens and they sort it out very quickly. I’m guessing that sometimes the bag collectors just forget to pick up all the bags - they always seem to be running when I see them.

I wish we could have Kerbside back!

From Chris Sawer

Friday, 2 April 2010

I believe that Boots on Crown Street has a collection point for recycling batteries.

Access to recycling facilities for non-drivers is a problem. Compact fluorescent (energy saving) light bulbs contain mercury so shouldn’t go to landfill, but Eastwood only lets drivers in. Also, it is difficult to recycle Tetra Pak style food/drink cartons locally, unless you drive to Eastwood.

I have cycled into Eastwood a few times and never been challenged, but it’s not really clear what the rules are. Calderdale’s website doesn’t state whether bicycles or motorbikes are allowed in. It also doesn’t explain why pedestrians can’t enter, despite the fact that everyone gets out their car and wanders about all over the place once they’ve parked up.

From Myra J.

Saturday, 3 April 2010

I’m glad Chris Sawer has raised the matter of pedestrian access at Eastwood waste site. I have taken this up more than once with no success. "Health and safety" is mysteriously cited with no acknowledgment of the gross inequity of the policy. It is simply absurd.

As for the tetra-paks, if Sita can accept them for recycling at the waste site, why on earth can they not collect them? They are not heavy or bulky (presumably the reason for not collecting heavy cardboard, although I wish they would collect that too).

From Felicity Potter

Saturday, 3 April 2010

Thanks for the useful info about the battery recycling containers at Boots. I’d never spotted them.

From Anne H

Saturday, 3 April 2010

Re - pedestrians taking waste to the tip. There always seems to be plenty of “waste operatives” around, and I assume they are insured to work in that environment without the protection of a car bonnet. Perhaps one could meet pedestrians at the gate and take stuff in for them? It just needs a bell by the gate to ring for attention. I’ve always found them very helpful with their advice about what goes where, but also they seem happy to physically help me if there are bulky or heavy items.

From Susan Quick

Saturday, 24 April 2010

And it’s happened again. This time there were 4 black bin bags and they took 3. Yes bring back Kerbside!

From Paul Brannigan

Thursday, 13 May 2010

I wish I could bring back Kerbside too!

I’m still managing to get regular complaints about the Sita service though.

It is worth stating that Sita aren’t cheaper than Kerbside. The price to the council and the council tax payers was exactly the same with or without Kerbside involved in the collections.

The problem was that Sita wanted to retain 100% of the profit and for Kerbside to work at cost. This was not sustainable even if Sita had got their resource estimates correct. As it turned out Sita are running more vehicles and crews than they budgeted for, and they are having to eat into profits to sustain that. Had they listened to us that Calderdale was not Kensington when it comes to terrain and housing then they may have got their estimates right in the first place. One size does not fit all.

Fortunately I am working a few days a week at a recycling enterprise in Shipley where I can take my batteries, tetrapak, plastic bottles, clothes, paper, cardboard etc. Maybe I should get the little wagon back on the road and collect your recycling on the way ;-)