Garden Waste Mix-Up

“Garden Waste Mix-Up”

Stockport Metropolitan Council has, over the last, week apparently delivered over 1000 postcard notifications to the wrong addresses stating that Garden Waste Recycling Collections cannot be provided. Households who currently receive Garden Waste Recycling Collections have received postcards from Stockport MBC saying “We are sorry we cannot provide a garden waste collection service at your property”. The postcard notification goes on to advise Stockport Householders that, if they cannot receive Garden Waste collections then they may compost waste at home, take waste to the tip or alternatively “put your garden waste in your bin bag with your general refuse”.

Councillor Les Jones, Conservative Group Leader, said “following on so soon after see-through bin bag fiasco, the Liberal Democrat Council have made another mess of waste services provided to residents. I am assured by Council Officers that this is a mistake and that Garden Waste Collection services will not be withdrawn from any household currently having collections. The wrong postcards have been sent out to thousands of households across the Borough. While I accept that mistakes can happen, it just goes to show that under this Liberal Democrat Council there don’t appear to be adequate systems in place to prevent such a disastrous error. A considerable amount of expense and taxpayers money will go into correcting this.”

“This serious mistake has caused considerable distress to Stockport residents who have recently been making great strides in their household recycling efforts. It is a shame when this kind of Council mistake is allowed to happen as it discourages people from composting and recycling.”

“It is a shame also that this postcard informs residents that they may dispose of their garden waste by putting it in their bin bag with general refuse. It is appalling that the Council should be publicising and promoting mixing garden waste and general refuse. The Council must meet tough targets on reducing the amount of biodegradable and garden waste sent to landfill or face up to huge fines. To recommend, as an option, putting garden waste in with household waste seems to seems to fly in the face of the Liberal Democrat Council’s “Cleaner, Greener” message and its previous policy announcements that they are committed to recycling and reducing waste. This is particularly worrying given the Liberal Democrat Council has said it is intending to move towards fortnightly collection of residual household waste. It looks like the Liberal Democrats whole green agenda is rubbish!