Petition demands immediate pause to ‘major rule change’ on recycling after thousands of Wolverhampton bins uncollected
A councillor has launched a petition demanding an immediate pause to the ‘major rule change’ on recycling bins after thousands have gone uncollected in Wolverhampton.
Wolverhampton Council's new policy sees bin collectors reject household waste if the resident has not followed the correct rules to ensure a better quality of recycled waste.
This has led to thousands of homes' refuse not being collected and angry residents confused about which bits of waste should be washed before being binned.
Residents have also complained that the new strict recycling bin rules are leading to more fly-tipping.
Penn Councillor Celia Hibbert, who claims the new 'check before you chuck' represents a major rule change, has now launched a petition on change.org.
It demands the immediate pause to the ‘major rule change’ on recycling bins and has already been signed by more than 150 people.
The petition states: "Please join us to demand that the cabinet member in charge and the leader of Wolverhampton Council immediately pause the recent ‘major rule change’.
"On the 29th of January 2024, a ‘major rule change’ on recycling bins was abruptly introduced.
"Following this, over 23,000 grey bins have been left uncollected in just three collection rounds.
"This is close to one in 10 houses in we have Wolverhampton, creating not only a health hazard, but an eyesore.
"Several pensioners, people living with disabilities, various families with young children have all been shocked with unemptied bins.
"The lucky neighbours who have had their bins carried, are left thinking that it might be theirs that is unemptied the next time! Meanwhile council taxes are on the rise."
It continues: "As a local councillor, I have been inundated with complaints about this issue and so have several other of my colleagues.
"Due to the huge impact this is having in our city, I am calling on all well-meaning residents to please sign this petition which demands that the cabinet member immediately pauses this rule change and returns to the drawing board, this time with a wider consultation with residents.
"I and many others believe there must be a better way as the goal is to encourage more people to recycle and not to undermine residents efforts."
Wolverhampton Council claim the city's recycling is less contaminated after the rules were more strictly implemented but has denied the rules had changed.
Councillor Craig Collingswood, cabinet member for environment and climate change, previously spoke out to say the council was trying to stop contamination of recycling waste, which is costing residents more than £185,000 a year.
He said the list of what is acceptable to put in a recycling bin had not changed and more than 90 per cent of households had complied with it.
To sign the petition visit change.org/p/demand-for-the-immediate-pause-to-the-major-rule-change-on-recycling-bins
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