Unwanted green bins awaiting collection across Wolverhampton

Residents had the option of retaining their green bins to use for normal household waste, but many of those who chose not to still have them sitting outside their homes while they wait for the council to take them away.

But now waste management bosses in Wolverhampton have announced that they will be carrying out a ‘mopping up’ exercise to collect a number of unwanted green bins across the city.

Resident Tina Brookes, who lives in Wednesfield, said: “I do a lot of gardening and my purple bin is always usually full when collection day comes round. I am really pleased with the service and have just signed up to continue with the scheme for 2020.

“I didn’t feel the need to keep my green bin and it’s been sitting on my driveway waiting to be collected. People have been asking for months if anyone knows when the green bins will be taken away.

“Mine has been standing outside ever since my new purple bin was delivered and I’ll be glad to have it out of the way because I have to move it every time I want to go in or out of the garage.

“I’m guessing it’s because it’s such a huge task, given the large number of people who switched over to the purple ones,” she added.

A Wolverhampton Council spokesman said: “We are collecting spare bins from residents who have contacted us and requested that they are taken away, and we’ll be doing this over two weekends – Saturday and Sunday as well as on December 14 and 15.

"We’ve been carrying out regular audits based on bin requests, and we’ll look at a further review to determine if any further bin retrieval is needed.

"Bins collected will either be reused as general waste bins or broken down and recycled."

Councillor Phil Bateman, who represents Wednesfield North, said: “I have been informed by the council that it has now reached a point where it has the capacity to carry out a ‘mopping up’ exercise, relating to all those green bins that are not required.

“The council has told me it will be collecting bins in the WV11 and WV12 postal areas on Saturday December 14 and Sunday December 15.

“It cannot guarantee which day over the weekend it will collect on, but any residents living in these districts wishing to have an unwanted green bin removed, is asked to ensure that it is placed outside their property no later than 7am on Saturday.”

The new bin service was introduced as a cost-cutting measure after the council stopped free garden waste collections.

The purple bins, which cost £35 a year per household and £17.50 for concessions, have proved very popular, with thousands willing to pay for the service.

• Residents can register to have any unwanted bins taken away by going to www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/recycling-and-waste/collect-my-spare-bin