SOUTH Gloucestershire Council has set up ‘deposit points’ for people to take food waste and recycling to during strike action by bin crews.
They have been set up as a strike by members of Unite has seen collections of all recycling suspended indefinitely as remaining workers concentrate on black bins, which are for non-recyclable waste.
People have already been told they can take recycling and food waste to the council’s Sort It centres in Yate, Mangotsfield and Thornbury, which are still open and have extra facilities for waste not being collected from the kerbside.
Now the council has said recycling and food waste can be taken to four extra locations every weekday between 8am and 2pm.
They are:
• Page Road short stay car park Staple Hill – Page Road (BS16 4NE).
• Lyde Green Park and Ride – Willowherb Road, (BS16 7GG).
• Stoke Gifford Park and Ride, near Parkway station, Hunts Ground Road (BS34 8XX).
• South Gloucestershire Council North Way site, Filton (BS34 7QG).
Cardboard, paper, glass, cans and plastic for recycling can be deposited at any time of day or night in recycling skips provided at Warmley community centre car park in Deanery Road (BS15 9JB) and the Batch community centre car park in Park Road, Barrs Court, (BS30 8EB).
A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of residents’ concerns around recycling and food waste not currently being collected and have made special arrangements for extra deposit points at a number of locations across the district in addition to the Sort It centres in Yate, Mangotsfield and Thornbury.
“We would like to thank everyone who has been taking their recycling and food waste to the Sort It centres and we apologise for the inconvenience caused by the strike action.
“We are prioritising black bin collections, including nappy sacks, as they often contain unpleasant waste.
“Please put your black bin out on your scheduled day. If it is not collected, please report a missed collection.”
It comes as council leader Claire Young and co-leader Ian Boulton published a joint letter to contractor Suez and union Unite on behalf of residents, urging them to “explain what actions have been taken to date to settle the industrial action and to set out how you will resolve the dispute between yourselves”.
The leaders cited the increase in recycling rates from 14% 20 years ago to more than 60% now and the high levels of satisfaction with the service from residents, adding: “Our residents, the council and the SUEZ management and workforce have, working together, delivered this success story and the current dispute between Unite the union and Suez as employer is putting this at risk.
“We believe that residents are owed a clear explanation of your actions to date as well as the
details of how you are seeking to resolve the dispute, so that waste services can return to
normal, and we can continue the collective effort and do even better.”
Cllr Young added: “The industrial dispute between SUEZ and UNITE is continuing to cause a great deal of inconvenience and concern to our residents.
“Until it is resolved, the Council will carry on doing all it can to help keep people informed and we urge both parties to reach a swift agreement.
“We are working with the staff that SUEZ does have available to provide the best level of service possible under the circumstances. We are focusing on black bin collections, so waste like nappies and dog waste will be collected. We’re also working with SUEZ to try to bring additional food waste services on board.”
For more information visit www.southglos.gov.uk/servicedisruption or call 01454 868000.
Picture: Cllr Claire Young and Cllr Ian Boulton at additional deposit point in Staple Hill