Merton Council recently announced a number of changes to litter and recycling collection (summarised here). Briefly, each household would have 2 wheelie bins, a plastic box, and a food waste caddy. The food waste caddy would be collected weekly, everything else fortnightly.

Following our online survey, Lib Dem councillor Mary-Jane Jeanes sent the following questions to the Labour councillor in charge of rubbish:

When the new proposals for wheelie bins were announced, Merton Liberal Democrats carried out an online survey, via email newsletters; we have so far received hundreds of replies from a large number of wards across the whole borough, with more responses every day.

Around 70% of respondents are concerned about a scheme with 2 wheelie bins (one for rubbish, one for paper and card), a smaller recycling bin (for plastics, tins and glass) and a food waste caddy per household. The reasons they gave for this were often difficulties storing these in maisonettes or terraces (Haydons Rd and the Apostles in Raynes Park spring to mind). Some people with disabilities, and some older people, are worried that they cannot move wheelies – will halp be available for them?  So there are both efficiency and equalities issues.

Nearly 80% of people were concerned about fortnightly collections.

Please could you answer these questions so that we can give residents further information.

1. What arrangements will there be for those households that find storage and presentation of wheelie bins difficult or impossible? Will different sizes of bins be available?
2. Since weekly food waste collection is proposed, parents with babies wonder if their general waste could also be collected weekly. Used nappies go into general waste; a week’s worth of nappies in Summer is unpleasant – would they be a health hazard after a fortnight?
3. What increased recycling targets are being set, over what period, and what will Merton Council do if they’re not being reached?
4. Similarly, what targets are being set to monitor improvements in street cleanliness and how will they be enforced?
5. Lastly, if the proposed financial savings do not materialise, what provision is there to break Merton’s contract with Veolia [the waste management company]?