Doretta
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Amazing response - country-wide and abroad!A huge "thank you" to all those who have joined our Campaign. Your supportive messages are welcomed and show that while councils continue to say residents are happy with having general waste collected only once a fortnight, the evidence from your thousands of e-mails is that it is simply not true.
This is not an anti-recycling Campaign. I am a keen recycler and have been since the early 1990s. I am also concerned, however, that leaving perishable waste for a fortnight in summer temperatures not only causes nuisance but has the potential to harm public health.
As well as receiving e-mails from those who are currently on an alternate weekly scheme (the Government insist we call fortnightly rubbish collections by this name) we have received so many from residents who are still on weekly collections but fear they could be next in line. We have had e-mails from Europe and even Argentina expressing absolute disbelief that the UK has general waste collected once every 14 days, 15 days if a Bank Holiday occurs and a full month if any of us should be away and miss a collection.
There appears to be an assumption that all residents can compost organic waste! People who live in flats or have small unsuitable gardens obviously can't. People who have had rat or mice infestations are advised by pest controllers never to compost food and I have received that advice myself. They ignore the organic waste other than food e.g. sanitary towels, disposable nappies, incontinence pads etc.
Even though 11 councils have reverted to weekly collections and next week's local elections may add to that number, unless our Government insists that we all require a weekly collection of general waste more councils will try the cheapest and quickest way (so they say) to increase recycling rates and introduce AWCs to even more areas.
We have no intention of giving up this fight and appreciate all your support.
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