Binmen battle on to clear waste backlog

Binmen were today battling against the backlog, as they fought their way through "treacherous" conditions to remove weeks' worth of rubbish.

Confusion reigned across the Black Country and Staffordshire as to when collections would take place, with councils warning that revised arrangements were at risk of further changes depending on worsening weather.

Around 60 per cent of homes in Walsall did not have their rubbish picked up as planned yesterday, as icy back streets continued to hamper refuse lorries.

Families were told grey bins due to be emptied yesterday will not be until next Monday, when extra waste will also be collected, but recycling in green bins will have to wait until a double collection on January 25.

Councillor Mike Flower, Walsall Council's cabinet member for the environment said: "Our staff are doing their best to continue their rounds, but unfortunately conditions continue to be treacherous.

"Alternative arrangements are being put in place for those residents who were unable to have their bins collected today, to clear the backlog."

In Cannock, bin men were out on their rounds yesterday after working over the weekend to continue clearing the backlog from last week and households were today urged not to put their brown bins out unless absolutely necessary.

Bin collections in Birmingham were running as normal today, apart from on a few side roads still covered with snow and ice.

But there was criticism from some families in Harborne, where extreme winter weather has left their bins unemptied for nearly a month. One 39 year-old homeowner, who did not wish to be named, said: "The council seem to have left it too long, and the place has become a right mess."

Residents are being told to remove bin bags from the roadside and wait for the next scheduled collection.