Bin Etiquette

Fri 22 Feb 2019, 17:19 (last edited on Fri 22 Feb 2019, 17:20)

I think it's all part of a subtle (or perhaps not so subtle) plan to get rid of collections completely.  

I do think we are lucky to have a door to door collection as opposed to having to take our recycling/rubbish to a central area.

More and more frequently I take our recycling to Witney/Chippy, or behind the Co-op.  It's no hardship if one is reasonably able, and has a car, and are going to those places anyway.

I accept it will be difficult for those less fortunate than me. 

Fri 22 Feb 2019, 10:14

I moved at the beginning of last year & had 4 black boxes. Now I have none! 

Began to think that maybe it was another new initiative to have them removed, I now understand why from one of the postees on here!

Mon 18 Feb 2019, 15:59

Amanda, the same happens with our small blue-lidded bin. There are no apparent defects on the top.

Sun 17 Feb 2019, 19:42

Are you lot really surprised that they hurl the bins around like they don't care? I mean, come on - it is a rubbish job!  

Fri 15 Feb 2019, 17:39

Ours is dry, but it is a big one.

Thu 14 Feb 2019, 22:20

Has anyone else had water getting into their blue bin?  Mine is the smaller size and after last weekend’s rain there is a puddle in the bottom.  I think it’s the design as it doesn’t happen to the other bins.

Wed 13 Feb 2019, 17:05 (last edited on Wed 13 Feb 2019, 19:28)

Susie, my request for a new food caddy was honoured within a week.  Suggest you give  WODC a call:  01993 861000.  I see that it also has a fax number, which is quaint.

One of my friends saw the operatives pick up his perfectly good black box (complete with bottles), and throw the lot into the lorry.  Including the box and its lid.

There seems to be a huge lack of consistency between the teams.  Some, as I've already stated here, bend over backwards to be accommodating and quiet.  Others shout and throw the bins about.  I wonder what training they are given, and how they are supervised?  

It would make a wonderful skit - worthy of the Two Ronnies. 

Wed 13 Feb 2019, 12:36 (last edited on Wed 13 Feb 2019, 12:38)

So, the logical conclusion of this massive conflict of interest is that firms that do not have councils as shareholders will cease to bother to bid in future, knowing that they will always be undercut by a Ubico bid, which will have no incentive to stick to their tender, as us suckers will have to pay. Nice work if you can get it! This aside from the fact that bin hurling is now set to become an olympic sport.

Wed 13 Feb 2019, 11:35 (last edited on Wed 13 Feb 2019, 11:37)

We used to have Kier, a publicly quoted company, managing our rubbish collections.  When they said they couldn't do it within the agreed contract price, they were told to go away and absorb the extra costs, so the extra cost was borne by their shareholders. Now because WODC owns Ubico together with seven other councils, any overspends by Ubico in West Oxfordshire have to be borne by WODC as the shareholder - and eventually by us as tax payers.  The same applies to Publica, the company that was set up by WODC in partnersip with other councils as a way of sharing costs and saving money.  But if they fail to save money, then the cost is ultimately borne by us.  And guess what - all the savings that have so far been made by Publica have been cancelled out by the Ubbico overspend.... there is a Cabinet meeting this afternoon at WODC where the budget is being discussed.  I will be asking a few questions......

Wed 13 Feb 2019, 10:47

Liz, if a company tenders for a job and gets the work, then they must surely bear any extra costs, otherwise the tender is either a farce or illegal and needs to be re-run? Or are you saying that because Ubico is owned by WODC then any costs fall to us through that route? As Private Eye would say - shurely shome mishtake... 

Wed 13 Feb 2019, 10:15

Still hurling our bins around, saw them do it last week, and 3 times have left bin blocking entrance so have to stop in road to move before turning in Not impressed

Wed 13 Feb 2019, 09:58

My blue bin has had its lid removed and hopefully will be replaced soon - been waiting from the end of November!

Wed 13 Feb 2019, 09:41 (last edited on Wed 13 Feb 2019, 09:44)

You are not alone - at the recent committee meeting (where Ubico, the new operator,  told us why they are £500k overspent on their original tender - which by the way will be passed on to us tax payers as Ubico is part-owned by WODC), there were a lot of comments from councillors about the way that bins are hurled around so hopefully that message will be passed on to the teams, who otherwise do a very good job now they have settled into their rounds. There is a problem with the quality of the bins too. That is somnething they plan to rectify.

Tue 12 Feb 2019, 19:12

We are on our third food waste caddy due to them being hurled to the side of the road after emptying - such a waste.

By the way, you can pick up a replacement directly from the Council shop on Welch Way in Witney.

Tue 12 Feb 2019, 12:29

Yes.  Just had to order (and have received) a new food caddy.

I've also today ordered a new lid for the black box.  The operatives got over-enthusiastic and took the broken black box away, and the lid for the second black box!  I hadn't asked for the (smashed up) black box to be removed as it was just about useable.

I'm no expert but I wonder if the black plastic for these containers is too brittle?  Pure speculation, but perhaps it's the cheapest money can buy.  It may, however, be a false economy.

Tue 12 Feb 2019, 10:20 (last edited on Tue 12 Feb 2019, 10:21)

Just brought in the bins after collection this morning. In the last few years, I have had to order two new black boxes as they have been cracked beyond use and now it is the more solid food waste that is smashed, and will have to be replaced. Apart from the cost to WODC it is disheartening to be encouraged to recycle when the containers fail so often. Anyone else have this problem?