Environment head tries for recycling woe resolution

As reported in The Extra, Facebook page Get East Renfrewshire Recycling Bins (/eastrenbin) has given a platform to those fed up with using bags instead of bins to separate household rubbish.

Page admin Natasha Bowman told The Extra that she set up the page — now at more than 2,5000 likes — because “we all have the same problems; bags filling up too quickly or blowing away and having to be replaced constantly, but mainly the rubbish we’re finding in our gardens and streets.”

East Ren Council and environment convener Vincent Waters responded recently, pointing to a lack of funding and infrastructure needed to implement a new system.

This week, councillor Waters addressed the Facebook group in an open letter, again citing problems with houses not able to cope with a number of bins on the property, as well as cost implications as the council deals with a budget shortfall.

He writes: “Would the majority of residents in ER want us to spend month on new containers while cutting it for social work/schools/roads and elsewhere in cleansing?

“We are looking for ways where we would replace some containers in a way the council could afford. I can’t and won’t promise you that this is something we can fix fast or easily. I can promise we will keep looking for improvements till we have a collection system that both residents and staff are much more satisfied with.”