Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Avoid Western Road Recycling Centre today?

We walked past twice this morning, an hour apart - traffic was queuing back to Coburg Road.

Tags for Forum Posts: garden waste

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on June 2, 2018 at 17:21

"Bonkers decisions by the Kobinet"?
I guess we'll never know what really went on behind that secret curtain. But I do wonder if the Muswell Hill Colonial administration ever really understood how the culture of dumping had taken firm root in the east of the borough. And how all the supposed "savings" would simply accelerate that.

I called it the 'Third System'. Based on the idea that the 'First System' was collection from homes and businesses. With a Second System of "bring sites" including recycling bins and the Reuse & Recycling Centres.

Currently when walking around our neighbourhood in the East of Tottenham it looks like the Third System has overtaken the Second System. My expectation is that a stroll in any direction will meet dumped rubbish at the corners or ends of most streets. As well as, more often that not, stuff dumped on any handy patch of grass, or propped along blank walls. Or maybe left on a couple of metres of privately owned garage forecourt. (Which Veolia have no legal right or obligation to enter.)

The dumped fridge problem - which seemed to have shrunk over the years - has now reappeared. As have a constant parade of dumped mattresses. I imagine that may also increase bedbug misery for hundreds more people, as those vicious little pests seem very good at walking & even better at hitch-hiking into homes.

Pam, can I suggest a drawback with "green waste stashes in parks". The risk is that any stash is quickly "read" as tacit permission to add other unwanted rubbish - whether green, rusty, paper-white, or any other shade. The apparent logic is that since items A+B+C will soon be officially collected, it must follow that adding items D-Z to the stash doesn't matter. Or that augmenting the pile is helping the Council. Possibly verging on a display of public-spirited service to the whole community.

All this has a dire consequence that the "hidden curriculum" of rubbish strewn streets 'teaches' the next generations that littering and trash dumping is the proper way adults are supposed to behave.

The most interesting question you raise, Pam, is that of cost. Us volunteer dump reporters may come free. Veolia staff and waste trucks traversing the borough cost big money.

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Permalink Reply by Alyson on April 26, 2018 at 11:12

Predictable due to the closure of Hornsey site a couple of years ago, and the Tottenham Hale one last year. I've got 2 old printers cluttering up my room, and have a car, but haven't felt like negotiating the (unknown) road system round there to find Western Avenue. I go to Wood Green by bus!

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Permalink Reply by John D on June 2, 2018 at 18:38

Where do you live Alyson ? I don't mind taking them to the dump for you.

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Permalink Reply by Harold on June 2, 2018 at 13:34

Haringey's recycling policy assumes everyone owns cars.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on June 2, 2018 at 16:03

Precisley Harold. Having to pay for a doorstep collection because I don’t own a car effectively subsidises those who do and get a free service at the dump. The less well off, or those who can’t drive, pay for a service that the better off can access for nothing

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Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on June 2, 2018 at 16:35

Michael. I get the sense of what you are saying, but do not forget those folks sat in the tail back trying to get in for the best part of (what?) half an hour?() are all paying a price in terms of time!

I have a car and I paid the 'tax' because I could not be bothered with the faff and inefficiency of dragging my waste to the tip...

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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on June 2, 2018 at 17:41

I pay £25 for four items and £10 for each item over that. The rubbish collectors don’t just drive out to collect my stuff, they do a round that you have to book a slot in, so by the time they get to the dump they are a few hundred quid in. That is way above cost so the surplus goes into subsiding other services such as the free dump. The charge is regressive as those least able to afford it are also least likely to be able to afford a car and have to pay for disposal so yes, the poorest in the borough are subsiding car owners to use the dump - quite handsomely too. I also pay in my time -arranging appointments, paying for the service, chasing up when they don’t arrive.

I don’t suppose people who own cars use them only for the sole purpose of going to the dump so they get extra value from them. I get no extra value from the disposal fee.

John, as far as transport goes goes I have a choice. I can use public transport, cycle or walk. I have no choice about how I dispose of my waste as I don’t have the ability to use other options. As for doing the work of sorting, I have to that too, I can’t just dump a load of mixed crap at the front of my house and expect it to be collected. Also the list of what I can have collected is far more restricted than what is accepted at the dump. Items that Haringey won’t collect I have to either pay to have collected by a company or find a cab firm that will take me and it to the dump

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Permalink Reply by John D on June 2, 2018 at 16:54

Michael: you are paying for someone to come to your house and transport your garbage to the dump. The actual disposal is free.

We who take our rubbish to the dump are effectively subsidising the community as a whole and we do the work of separating the rubbish into 9 different categories when we get there.

How am I better off if you pay for yours ? If you go to work by tube are you subsidising my bicycle ?

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Permalink Reply by Sam on June 2, 2018 at 23:17

I wasn't caught in this queue but have been caught previously. A sunny weekend brings out everyone working on their houses. With a 30+ yr old wisteria and huge Lilac bush to keep in check my garden generates several car loads of garden waste each year. The islington recycling centre is open until 8 or 9pm on weekdays which makes it a much easier alternative to the inadequate western road facility. And from where I live only a further 10mins drive from the house. I recommend using it in preference.