Hounslow Hits Back at Complaints

Local recycling raises many a concern

Hounslow responds to the many concerns outlined by local residents about changes in recycling as follows:

“Recycling is a significant priority in the borough and we have recently invested in a new waste and recycling depot at Southall Lane to support this priority. This is a state-of-the-art facility where over 16,000 tonnes of recycling will be processed each year.

We changed our recycling service in June/July 2017 to increase recycling in the borough. The bold changes involved collecting recycling weekly and general waste fortnightly (it was previously the reverse). This was implemented to around 75,000 households. We also increased the number of recycling boxes residents had so that recycling for plastics, glass, paper and cardboard could be completed. This change was widely communicated across the borough and supported by an educational and awareness campaign for residents.

Since the changes, the recycling rate has increased from 29.8% during 2016/17 to 33.2% in Sept 2017.

For flats above shops (approximately 2,500 properties), the twice weekly collections were not effective and this service is currently under review. Residents were previously issued with clear bags for recycling (co-mingled) and purple bags for residual waste but the vast majority of the recycling was contaminated and therefore it could not be recycled.

We are working with Recycle 360, our wholly owned company and the West London Waste Authority to develop long-term solutions for recycling provision for flats above shops. 

Hounslow Highways – the contractor used by Hounslow Council - do not currently recycle waste from street litter bins. They have been routinely replacing older bins on an annual basis with regular and larger capacity units to ensure the bins on the network are fit for purpose.

Hounslow Highways have completed some trials in the past promoting recycling from litter bins and had placed dual use bins on the network for this purpose.  However, these trials have not been successful as the recycling was predominantly contaminated with non-recyclable materials. We are again working with partners to agree solutions for the future.

We have initiated a campaign across the borough on our street bins, waste trucks and using on-street advertising to help tackle the dumping of rubbish in the street as we had noticed an increase in domestic waste being placed into our street bins.  However, we are not the only London Borough experiencing this and we have been proactive in tackling this issue and we are highlighting our zero-tolerance approach to littering.

We’re aware that a resident – by his own admission – has been sticking labels onto public bins in the borough. The Council will not tolerate this and would like to remind residents that this is an offence. Those caught face being issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice and/or prosecution.

There are approximately 750 litter bins across the borough and only 150 of these are dual bins which can take both general litter and recyclable litter.”

March 29, 2018