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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Haringey Council Mounts Poster Campaign to Sell New Non-Free Green Waste Collection

Photo: Joyce Rosser

After switching from free green waste collections to a pay-to-collect service, Haringey Council has mounted a poster campaign urging us all to sign up and keep our community green. 

The new posters don't include the charges levels and I have not been able to find out what budget they have set aside for this campaign.

To learn more about Haringey's pay-to-collect scheme, see these posts. To sign a petition on this issue see this one.

Next week we'll be running a piece on Haringey's new green waste based TV series Game of Bins (GoB).

Tags for Forum Posts: garden waste, waste collection charges

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What do they do with the green waste anyway? Presumably it's made into compost, which Haringey then gets to use or sell. So we will have to pay for the council to get free compost? What a load of spin!

It is turned into compost in an anaerobic digester. However I think the days of free compost are over, though it does get donated to the parks dept, schools and community groups - but not the general public anymore. Alexandra Park is the only suitable distribution point in Haringey and they can't guarantee the space any more, given the increase in events. So you're half right - yes we pay, now we don't get free compost

How infuriating. The implication is that this is new, and there isn't an existing service, and no mention of charging.

I worry that this will just lead to people fly tipping or using the black bins for garden waste.  Leading to higher cost for the council and thus rate payer.

I would sign the E-Petition against the new plan:

https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=58&a...

The whole way this is spun is nauseating. It seems they are incapable of giving information plainly, without trying to dress it up with some positive slant.

Below is the text as it currently appears on the Council website. [Accessed 23 August 2017.] I wonder if whoever wrote and/or approved this actually thinks people are gullible enough to swallow the myth of a "new" service. (The word is used five times.) Or the description of this cut as a "saving".  Or if they expect us to believe that: "essential areas such as adult social care, libraries and children’s services"  will really benefit?

Garden Waste Collection
Changes to service

"As we work towards saving £20 million, there will be some changes to your green garden waste service. By handling waste differently we will be able to make vital savings while still providing a good service. This means more of our remaining resources can go into other essential areas such as adult social care, libraries and children’s services.

Opt-in chargeable service

A new green garden waste service launches from 23 October 2017. Rather than withdrawing collections, we are following the example of many other local authorities by offering the service for a charge.

For £75 a year - that’s £1.45 a week - you will get your own wheeled bin for garden waste, with weekly collections. If you feel you do not have space for a bin, sacks are available. However, where possible, we recommend using a bin as this is the easiest and most efficient way of storing green garden waste.
Starting from 23 October 2017 and for the price of 12 months, you will get your new service until April 2019

Current hessian sack collections will cease from 23 October. If you do not sign up to the new service by this date, your garden waste collection will stop. If you choose to sign up later, you will be provided with a new garden waste bin and your service will begin.  This is an opt-in service, and we are encouraging you to sign up early, so there is no delay in us getting your new garden waste bin to you."
________________


In May, whoever the new Council Leader is, I hope she or he will announce at the first Council meeting that councillors, senior staff, and the "Comms" Team will be expected to tell the truth.

Must admit I find the savings being "diverted" to vital services like libraries is particularly galling. The stock at Central Library & Marcus Garvey has been decimated to make room for all the council services counters (to say nothing of the noise). Highgate library still under threat etc

What will residents do with Green Waste in future. I have just pruned my very small but overgrown garden yielding three hessian bags of waste. My options for disposal: pay for collection or drive to the dump. How many people don't drive? How many people can pay for collection? I think people will consider paving garden spaces, disposing in general waste, fly tipping or burning. None of these options are environmentally sound.

Far from ideal, this, but if you only generate quantities of garden waste once or twice a year you can arrange to have it Specially Collected for a £25 fee - Veolia's extensive FAQ page at   https://www.veolia.co.uk/haringey/services-facilities/services-faci...   states:

Can I just book a Special Collection for my garden waste instead of buying a bin?
Yes you can book a Special Collection at the rate of £25 for up to 4 items and £10 per item thereafter. 5 standard sized bags, that are able to be tied and lifted without splitting, constitute 1 item. Therefore you can place out up to 20 bags for collection for £25. Each bag must be able to be tied at the top and lifted without splitting. Please click here for information on Special Collections.  However, please note that you will have to pay this charge every time you want your garden waste collected and by choosing this option the waste will unfortunately not be able to be composted.

"How the hell can they justify this bit? "By choosing this option the waste will unfortunately not be able to be composted." What a load of b*ll*cks!

It's their little bit of greenshaming, innit.

Plus it goes into the lorry (often one of the big compactors rather than a flat-bed) mixed up with mattresses, bed frames, furniture and so on so it can't be re-segregated back at the depot (is my guess).

Hmm.
Perhaps rather than guess, some neutral but potentially enlightening questions are needed. To do the right thing we need accurate, truthful information. Not spin and PR.

Well here's some accurate truthful information - https://mantis.uk.com/garden-bin-tax-how-does-your-council-compare-2/

This is a 2016 survey that showed, then, that 42% of councils were already charging for green waste collection.  The significant pricing information for Haringey residents, though, shows that we're near the top of the costs ranking -

"The top three most expensive councils for yearly garden waste collection are:

  1. Harlow District Council, £96
  2. Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, £78
  3. London Borough of Harrow, £75 "

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