Essex Town Residents React to Proposed Bin Collection Changes

Residents in an Essex town have expressed their views regarding a council’s proposal to decrease the frequency of waste bin collections. Braintree District Council (BDC) is set to evaluate a proposal to alter general waste collections, moving them from a fortnightly schedule to a tri-weekly one, as part of a broader set of initiatives. Sonata Dambrauskiene, 38, commented: “There are some families who have more than four or five people, where are they going to put extra rubbish? It’s not fair on the families.” A spokesperson for BDC informed the BBC that “No decisions have been made yet. The council’s cabinet will discuss the proposals and consider a public consultation on Monday, 16 December, 2024.” The council stated that the suggested modifications aim to improve recycling percentages and decrease the volume of general waste directed to landfill sites. Having not met its 50% recycling target in 2020, BDC indicated its intention to address this shortfall in pursuit of its subsequent target of 55% by 2025. Should the council grant approval, an eight-week public consultation period will begin on 6 January, preceding the submission of a conclusive report to its cabinet in May. If these changes receive approval, their implementation would take effect from April 2026. BDC mentioned it plans to evaluate approximately 24% of properties that may encounter challenges in accommodating all the required bins. James Abbott, a Green Party councillor representing Silver End and Cressing, highlighted a connected concern regarding the new waste incinerator located at Rivenhall, which is scheduled to become operational next year. He informed BBC Essex: “Anything that goes in the black bins is literally going straight there to be burnt, and that’s for the whole of Essex… if we don’t recycle, a lot more material is going to be incinerated.” Brian Polson, 87, stated: “As it is now, it’s farcical and to make it worse than that, which I think it would, then I don’t believe in that at all.” Janet Polson, 84, Brian’s wife, expressed a desire for a trial phase before the implementation of any plans. Sarah Houghton, a 50-year-old cleaner, commented that three weeks was “too long to wait to have your bins emptied… it’ll just all mount up and people will start fly tipping”. She further mentioned her lack of space for the three proposed wheelie bins, stating, “I don’t want all that in my garden.” Lisa Stiff, 57, conveyed her “disgust” regarding the proposal. She added, “Years ago they used to collect it every week, and then it went to fortnightly.”