More than 3,200 households across Lichfield have requested an additional recycling bag, it has been revealed.
The roll-out of the new dual waste collection system by Lichfield District Council – which sees households separate card and paper from their blue bins – came under fire after it emerged some of those distributed were a third smaller than they should have been.
An answer to a question posed by Cllr Steve Norman, leader of the Labour opposition group, at a meeting of the local authority revealed that a number of homes in the area had already sought an extra bag.
Cabinet member Cllr Liz Little said:
“As of 8th July we had received a total of 3,228 additional bag requests, which is 7% of Lichfield households and we have delivered 2,386 in Lichfield which represents delivery of 74% of the bags requested.
Cllr Angela Lax, Lichfield District Council
Cllr Norman said he was keen to understand how the issues with the roll-out had been impacting local families.
“While I am able to manage with one small blue bag for recycling paper, card and
Cllr Steve Norman, Lichfield District Council
cardboard – even though it is only a 57 litre one – I am aware that for families with children, even those who were lucky enough to receive a correct size 80 litre bag, this may still not be adequate.”
Cllr Lax said the council was working to roll out more bags where they were needed.
“We are continuing to accept requests for additional bags and delivering these as quickly as we are able.
“They are also now available to collect at the newly re-opened reception area at
Cllr Angela Lax, Lichfield District Council
the Lichfield District Council offices on Frog Lane.”
I asked my formal question because a Lichfield District Councillor keeps complaining that they can’t get all their cardboard (not commercial waste I hope) into their blue bag. They didn’t seem to realise that the Council, who gives them an allowance to read reports and information sent to residents, will provide extra bags.
As an LDC councillor who has complained vociferously about the blue bag farce, I do hope Cllr Norman isn’t referring to me!
I don’t think he can be though as I read all my papers and am one of the 2,386 residents who has already ordered and secured a 2nd blue bag. Equally, the little comment about “commercial waste” can’t possibly apply to me given all my work is online and there’s little need to recycle spreadsheets other than via the recycle bin on my desktop.
Perhaps Cllr Norman can enlighten us about which councillor he thinks doesn’t know about how to order a second blue bag, doesn’t read their papers and sneaks commercial waste into their domestic recycling?
I hope the aftermath focus doesn’t just settle on how many households are ordering second bags as being the primary measure of how many households have been impacted or frustrated by this rollout.
I’ve stopped using mine at all and can’t imagine we’re the only household to do so, will likely resume either when the scheme is rolled back or all residents are given the choice between a bag and an alternative colour bin (of a ‘good’ capacity) when it comes to requesting additional storage.
Can’t we just swap the order round? Card and paper in the main bin and everything else in the bag, or at least have the option to? My bag is full in no time and the bin mostly empty. And the collectors put it all in the bin in the end anyway to empty. Just seems logical.