A review a new recycling system across Lichfield and Burntwood says the roll out caused frustration for residents – and warned it must not be allowed to happen again.
Lichfield District Council introduced the dual stream collections in May, with households having to separate out card and paper into new blue bags.
But the roll out was initially blighted by issues such as concerns over the capacity of the bags and missed collections.
An independent review has since been carried out and has highlighted a number of issues with the roll-out of the new dual waste system.
A report by Cllr Liz Little, cabinet member for waste and recycling, to a meeting of the council’s overview and scrutiny committee said:
“The new rounds implemented as part of the new recycling service roll out, undertaken by a commercial organisation rather than one experienced at providing a local authority service, together with the decision to divert drivers from collection rounds to bag deliveries, significantly restricted the crews’ capacity and capability to complete new recycling rounds.
“There was therefore a period of persistent round non-completions which adversely impacted on residents, particularly following the commencement of dual-stream collections from 2nd May.
“There were frustration from ward councillors and residents over a lack of urgency in the response to these issues which were being reported daily.”
Cllr Liz Little, Lichfield District Council
The report said staff were also not fully prepared for the changes and that the need to move workers to complete missed rounds meant further frustration was caused due to delays in black bin collections.
“Despite training prior to implementing the new service, waste crews were unclear in some areas over what could be recycled. The service was slow in implementing ‘toolbox talks’ to aid understanding of the collection crews.
“Bin ‘tagging’ caused significant anger to residents as crews were correctly refusing to collect waste put out, but without explaining on the red and yellow tags exactly why.”
Cllr Liz Little, Lichfield District Council
“The public response became hostile”
Communication over the new waste collection service was also described as a “critical point of failure in the project”.
“Initial information was sent and received well. However, once problems started occurring, the public response became hostile.
“Additional negative public comments were received following a press release stating that the blue bags procured were not the correct size. This exacerbated the situation.
“Communications was a critical point of failure in the project. Both the joint waste and customer contact teams were overwhelmed by the volume of complaints and service requests that were received – all of which required an element of manual processing and many required double-handling by customer contact and then joint waste.
“The service became slow to respond to even the most routine requests, exacerbating resident dissatisfaction.”
Cllr Liz Little, Lichfield District Council
The report added that the roll-out was now largely complete, but that it was too early to draw full conclusions.
However, it said data had shown that the number of reports of missed bins had dropped along with the number of contaminated loads.
“The quality of the recycling collected has been transformed – which was the fundamental intention of the transition to dual stream.
“Prior to the transition, levels of contamination in our recycling were around 14% – since the switch every single load of recycling has achieved the new contamination thresholds of 1% paper and 5% for glass, cans, and plastic.
“There has been no appreciable increase in residual waste. Over the first 10 weeks of the new service, the average weekly residual tonnage was 650 tonnes – the average for the three months prior to the switch was 760 tonnes per week.
“This suggests that recycled material is not finding its way into the refuse stream.
“The initial sense of chaos experienced by residents through the change from a co-mingling to dual-stream recycling service has now settled.
“While there remain issues that need to be responded to, the service is performing better again and delivering better outputs in terms of improved recycling.
“However, the project implementation involved a period of service disruption that significantly impacted residents and must not be repeated.”
Cllr Liz Little, Lichfield District Council
The report will be discussed at the meeting on 15th September.
The paper recycling bags will not last the Winter. Ours is very poorly made, What g0od is soaking wet paper? Needs fully thought out prior to implementation, paper recycling ideas. Our black bin rubbish is up 300% blue bin a few cans & bottles only
Living in one of the localities that received an obligatory “4th wheelie bin” in hideous pink, we now perceive this as a worthwhile imposition. Now that we are accustomed to the alternate four weekly collections of pink and blue bins that pattern has not proven to be unviable, although such extended gaps does make checking the bin calendar a recurring necessity. The 240 litre residual waste grey bin is so little used that we could probably go 8 weeks without a collection, no doubt helped by home composting of vegetable waste.
My paper recycling bag lives inside the blue bin, floating on top of the plastic/metal/glass recycling. This at least keeps it out of the rain and away from curious dogs. The bin men put it back in the blue bin when they’ve collected the recycling. I think that should extend its life a bit.
As usual, Cllr Little has missed the point. The provision of flimsy inadequate bags for paper and card was a terrible idea from the start. Out of town areas have been provided with an extra bin, which would have been a more viable initiative. Failing that, many people have two blue bins, one of which will not now be used, and this could have been repurposed. As it is, cardboard boxes will not fit in the silly little bags even when flattened, and so these have to go in the black bins, which defeats the object. The whole scheme was poorly conceived and badly executed from the start. I fully support recycling, but it is time for some common sense to prevail.
I have spoken to a lot of people about the blue bag, and the majority of those i spoke to said they have drastically cut down the amount they recycle due to the confusion of what they can or cannot recycle not just in the bag but in the blue bin too. Alot of disabled people have even stopped recycling anything that would go in the blue bag as they cannot move it once it is loaded or replaced into the blue bin. Most of the above now put most of their ‘unknown’ recycling in the black bin. surely this is defeating the whole process.
@ John Allen: The Council gives advice on what to do with excess cardboard:
“We will collect excess cardboard recycling from the side of your bin/bag. Excess paper and card waste can be presented:
Tied with string (for card),
in a cardboard box which we will also recycle,
or in a non-recyclable bag/box that we will return to the collection point along with your bag.” (https://www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/xfp/form/307)
TheRev…that’s why small samples shouldn’t be used as evidence of anything. The report states that there had been no increase in general household waste, so if they aren’t recycling it then it must be vanishing into thin air?
Thanks for the information Carl Sholl, but it’s hardly a sound solution is it? In fact, it’s an open admission that the blue bags are not up to the job. Cardboard will get wet in the rain, or blow about in the dry. A proper bin for it would have avoided such problems, but then common sense is not very common these days.
The blue bags were a terrible idea. Many will not survive the winter. I would much prefer another plastic bin for paper and card. At the very least, residents should be given a choice over which they have.
Completely given up with recycling since the bag got brought in, everything goes in the black bin now
Papers would be a lot better in bins and surely bins last longer than bags.
These blue bags are a ridiculous idea, another wheelie bin would have been so much better. We now recycle less card and paper as it get put in the black bin. Typical council well thought out idea.
Why not place the paper in the blue bin and the tins,bottles and plastic in the blue bag?
I bet land fill rubbish has increased by 50%
What a joke l was in my behind a bin lorry bin man emptied contents of the blue bag into the blue bin and promptly emptied in to the back of the lorry!!!! Rest my case
Well what a waste of money these Blue Bags are . 😞😞😞
@ Steven Whitehouse. Not quite. A blue bin is permanently attached to the hoist on the back of the lorry to deposit the paper waste from the blue bags into that side of the refuse vehicle where the paper/card is stored to reduce manual handling blowing away etc. It would be better if the bin fixed to the hoist was a pink one as this would cause less confusion to the public who just see paper and card going into the back of a lorry.
To those wanting another bin you are looking at a cost of min £20 per household probably more with inflation today just to purchase the bins before delivery, assembly etc. It depends if you think the extra capital cost and payback time for the scheme would be worth it. Many would complain of lack of space for another bin, when the blue bag can sit inside the blue bin on top of other waste.
@Roger Owen. LDC General/residual waste goes to incineration to generate electricity. The comms are again poor here. Residual waste is the waste that goes to incineration i.e the grey bin waste. If the press release is correct the waste in the grey bins has gone down from 760 to 650 tonnes which is a 14.4% decrease. Although you might have a bit of smoke and mirrors here with seasonality i.e. Christmas/New Year tonnages and the work from home order at the start of the year, which would have generated more residual waste and increase tonnages.
Another stupid idea by councillors, why would anyone leave mail I.e paper in an open bag open to ID theft ? Bags and paper blowing everywhere during the winter months. Councillor Liz ‘Little’ behind another failure, she should resign.
I despair at the people who say they have given up recycling since the bags were introduced – how do people get through life if tbis is confusing or difficult? The bag is a nuisance I will admit and it was much easier tossing all recycling into the large blue bin. However, this is not the hardship portrayed by many. As for the durability of the bags, they are very similar to the IKEA bags we probably all own – I’ve had one of those for over 10 years and it’s been used a lot! There are far greater inconveniences in life to get upset about than those bags.
Personally I hate storing all these bins the plastic blue bag, I new I would hate! so distasteful I cringe at handling it could scream when the refuge collector puts it in the blue bin because you see I store it inside my home (don’t see the point of recycling wet paper) I don’t have the answer but it’s tempting to not bother but I do and will play my part. could we please look at not having yet another bin get rid of plastic blue bag look to condense the bins we have stored outside our homes I’ve been looking to buy a wooden unit to put all these bins in cover them up yak!! I used to live in Sandwell few years ago and they have I think!been one step ahead of recycling supplying the correct size bin for the size of the household (why do I have the same size bin as someone who has a family of 6 ) can I please have smaller bins and perhaps if one has something that a person might flytip arrange to every so often to put skips in the area and give the public knowledge it’s a powerful thing good luck ! we never seem to be grateful or pleased but thank you
I am seeing more and more packaging using paper and card, which of course is better than plastic. However, the blue bags do not have enough capacity to contain everything I dispose of. Leaving excess paper outside in bales tied with string is all very well ( awkward to do) and storing excess in bigger cardboard boxes is ok until the weather (rain, wind and snow) soaks it and redistributes it around the street prior to collection. I do not wish to store any excess inside my home until just before the collection time, this is inconvenient and impractical. Please, can those that want a bin for paper and card get one ? Thanks.
I have certainly had to put a lot more items in the black bin due to the changes implemented.
Also we now have three plastic blue bags and normally about 3 more cardboard boxes outside the house for collection instead of two blue bags.
Its a mess and also takes about an extra hour a week to sort everything out.
It’s not good enough from the council.
Steven – This been discussed elsewhere and apparently there is a blue bin attached to the lorry because the lorries are designed to have rubbish put in via a wheelie bin and the lorries have two compartments, one either side. The contents of the blue bin goes in one side and the contents of the blue bag are tipped into the wheelie bin attached to the other side which is then emptied into the other compartment.
Ref THE REV! He’s right about people with disabilities NOT even using the Blue bag, I’M ONE!! I cannot lift, or drag it round to collection point, so why bother hurting myself, or others? IF they provided another wheel bin for card, papers etc, a lot more would use it! I used to stand over the Blue bin, and cut boxes up, so more could go in it, But I CAN’T STAND OVER a floppy bag, and attempt to cut anything up, so I don’t bother at all now, and sorry to say, IT ALL GOES IN THE BLACK BIN!! Whoever came up with this idea, should be given a bonus!! THEY SHOULD HAVE THE SACK!! LOL!
Once again, good idea terrible execution. The blue bag is too small for typical household needs, excessive cardboard and paper can be collected if left alongside the blue bag they said… Great, what about the rain? Why could we not be provided with another small size wheelie bins of different colour? I’m up for recycling, even though now I have three rubbish bins in my kitchen and no space left to walk around, but giving us flimsy stupid, not big enough bin bags and frightening us with “no collection if not done properly” like “seal all sides to protect from the rain” is simply a slap on the face. I don’t think I’m happy to pay council tax for this kind of stupidity.
The irony of it all is that I’ve actually had to start burning paper and cardboard in the fire because the bag is nowhere near capacitous enough for our output. A single ready meal box had been put into the blue bin out of habit which was enough for the collection crew to tag the bin and not take it, sounds very not-my-job to me. I understand it’s not in the job description to grab an item out of a bin but I have no doubt that if I was a binman I would’ve done it, as would most.
Here it is, the long awaited spin of the scheme will begin on the 15th. The rollout has now been completed now so most things can be hand waved away with either a ‘look at the short term stats – we were right’ or ‘lesson learnt promise – no action required’. The only stats I’ll personally be interested in are for the autumn and winter. The days will be wetter, colder and the daylight will fade quicker – all things that test the viability of the bags as well as the remaining people’s tolerance of the additional admin required in recycling.
Should have been a bin, with the option of a bag (to proper specifications and with oversight) alternative for households with less storage space or those who felt they didn’t need the full capacity of a bin.
I think paper/card should be in a bin. Most people had/have 2nd blue bin . It will be better for the crews to deliver the service. All so better for crew getting pulls/strains in shoulders/arm with the weight of sone of these bags.
Re the cardboard/paper getting wet from rain, this is much less of an issue, as it is pulped for recycling. Having a co-mingled (i.e. all mixed together) waste stream means that illegal food waste, grease from takeaway dishes, nappies, oily parts, residual beer, wine, fizzy drinks, clothes, polystyrene, dirty food cans, etc is compressed by the lorry into cubes, so contaminating the card and paper. Cardboard sits outside at many recycling centres anyway.
Industry needs recycled clean cardboard/paper in good clean condition which they will pay a greater price for. This is good for the taxpayer and good for the environment.
The bottom line is if residents did not contaminate their bins you would not need dual waste streams. Unfortunately a small minority ignore the guidance and cause a lot of damage to the recycling.
The problem with this scheme all along has been communication and implementation, not the policy itself in my opinion.
I understand guidance wise from Central Government that this is what councils should be doing anyway, unless they can justify mixed recycling on cost grounds. With the increases in raw material costs the new approach most likely complies with what they should be done anyway.
The blue bags are an unmitigated disaster. They are full within a day or two, just with broadsheet newspapers and junk mail. Once all the packaging from online deliveries are taken into account, we have about 10 blue bags worth of paper and card. We had also invested in expensive but smart wooden storage to hide our 5 bins but the blue bag is now an unsightly mess sitting outside. And it takes forever to sort the recycling. Such an ill-thought out decision! I also agree with the comments about disabled people and the additional difficulties faced.
People moaning about card/paper recycling just want something to moan about. I’m an elderly lady who has arthritic hands yet I can and do rip up cardboard boxes(yes, even large ones from flat pack furniture) to put into the bag. Come on people, flatten/rip up all cardboard(it’s NOT impossible). Just takes time and the will to do it. Think about the environment/world we live in. It’s worth it if it can be recycled.
Why they didn’t just give us a ‘paper and card’ sticker for a second blue bin I’ll never know.
RFW is right on the button but needs to visit the tip in Lichfield to see what’s going on there. Lichfield used to be one of the top recycling councils but if the tip is anything to go by we must now be near the bottom .
Poor and sometimes non existent signage on the skips doesn’t help with recycling.
Some of the staff seem to spend most of their time either on their phones, talking to each other or avoiding offering help to recyclers ( a couple of them are notably helpful)
Plastic bags and sheeting is directed to mixed household skips ie difficult or expensive to recycle or probably not recycled.
Most of the skips have very mixed recycling in them anyway ie not enough helpful/friendly staff.
The area around the in-use skips is usually overly messy making it hazardous for older people.
Perhaps councillors and council officers should make unannounced visits, with “stuff” to see just how inefficient and unhelpful the current contractors are and then do something about it. Somebody in authority needs to get a grip and take responsibility for this place.