Mixed reactions after Redcar’s new bin collection service completes first week

Redcar residents have now completed their first week under the new bin collection service, and the response has been a mixed bag.

The initiative introduced two new bin caddies designed to streamline food waste recycling, but residents are voicing both support and critique.

Image Credit: Melissa Wade

Food waste is currently the largest single material found in residual waste bins, making up approximately 37% of all waste collected from householder’s general waste.

The change is part of the government’s plan to improve recycling rates and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The new system includes a small kitchen caddy for collecting food scraps indoors and a larger outdoor caddy for weekly collection.

The kitchen caddy is intended to sit on countertops, under skinks, or wherever people find easiest to use, to encourage residents to separate food waste from general rubbish.

Image Credit: Melissa Wade

You can include all food waste from your home, including leftovers from meals, food that has gone past its use by date, and any other food waste from your kitchen.

Once full, the contents should be transferred to the larger, lockable outdoor caddy, which is collected weekly by the council.

However, early feedback from residents has been mixed.

Lynn Barrett, 48, care home cleaner, said: “At first, it was a bit confusing figuring out what goes where, but after a few days, it became more straightforward.

“’I’m glad we’re finally taking recycling seriously, although the extra bins do take up space.

“I’m sure it will be become just a normal part in my routine.”

A main issue that arose quickly after the first was how people were finding it difficult to remember what collection day is for what bin.

Anne White, 77, retired, said: “I’m all for recycling but the new schedule is difficult to remember.

“Some bins are weekly, some are fortnightly, so I'm a bit overwhelmed with making sure I’m putting out the right bin.

“It’s frustrating because I want to do my part but having all these bins on different collection days is confusing, the council should have tried to make things easier for us older people to remember.”

Another concern people had was the lack of explanation from the council as to why this new system has come into place.

John Wakefield, 55, technician, said: “Honestly, I’m struggling to understand why we have to use these new bins.

“We’ve been using the other two bins just fine for all these years, so to introduce more bins out of the blue, has baffled me.

“The council, and the government for that matter, should be focusing on fixing real problems like the state of our economy, not making our lives more complicated.”

Despite the varied reactions, the first collection day saw a majority of Redcar residents placing their bins out for collection, though only a few opted out.

Image Credit: Melissa Wade

It should be noted that the council have not finished handing out all the new bins to the whole of Redcar.

As the new service continues, it remains to be seen how effectively residents will adapt to the food waste collection and whether it will achieve its environmental goals.