Forum Topic

Why is Hounslow so rubbish at rubbish collection?

I was talking to a friend from Hammersmith.In Hammersmith and Fulham both regular waste and recycling is collected twice a week.It is also twice a week in Kensington and Chelsea.In Richmond and Brent both waste and recycling are once a week.Yet here in Hounslow we get our general waste collected once a fortnight - that is 25% of the rate in Hammersmith and 50% in Richmond - our neighbours. However Ealing appears to be worse than us - I am told. Or the same. If you live on the border - for example near Bath Road/Larden Road - the disparity is extraordinary.Why is our "Council of the Year" so rubbish at rubbish collection? The impact in winter is more rats and foxes, and in hot summer heatwaves - smell and infestation and well as just unsightly mess.And we no longer have a nearby recycling centre like Bollo Lane. I have a friend who runs a small shop in Chiswick and of course he pays high business rates.  He doesn't even get ANY collections - he has to pay for it all privately - not even a recycling collection.Yet for some reason, this hardly seems to feature as an issue - it is time it did!  When Hammersmith tried to cut down waste collection to once a week, there was uproar - and a quick climbdown.

Jackie Elton ● 1502d10 Comments

"In Hammersmith and Fulham both regular waste and recycling is collected twice a week" Do you mean they have one weekly collection for both. I would think most weekly collections would be collecting half filled wheelie bins and boxes. Obviousy the bigger the family the larger the waste but i dont see two many over flowing wheelie bins or boxes unless you have a large cardboard pile due to deliveries.

Julian Pavey ● 1502d

Until moving across the borough boundary recently I lived in LBHF for well over 30 years and we never had twice weekly collections. As far as I know all that has changed is that we used to put all our recyclables into council-provided plastic sacks whereas now I believe you have to sort it into different receptacles just like Hounslow. LBHF are much more generous with their garden waste collections though.I don't generally have a beef with Hounslow's waste and recycling collections though I do miss having the street swept every week as was the case in W12.

Bruce Hammal ● 1502d

Hounslow collections seem fine to me. How are rats and foxes a problem if everything is properly bagged up and put in the plastic bin? Ditto 'smells'.

Susan Kelly ● 1502d

Guy Lambert is the one you want for an answer. Or should I say some rhetoric. He also seems to spend quite a bit of time in Hammersmith so perhaps he can lend some compare/contrast.Not all businesses in W4 have to enlist a private contractor for collection. Some are able to put waste on the street. Some goes in those hideous grit bins which gets us back to Guy Lambert. The one who put them there.

David Lesniak ● 1502d

" Do you mean they have one weekly collection for both. "According to LBHF website for a random residential postcode found using Google Search results    Saturday and Wednesday - Recycling    Saturday and Wednesday - WasteSo for that postcode they collect both rubbish and recycling on both Saturday and Wednesdayhttps://www.lbhf.gov.uk/nearest-search/bin-recycling-day/results?search=20220811121402_searc Presumably peoples attitude to frequency will depend on how large their particular household is. Multi-occupancy rates might also have an impact as well. michael adams

Michael Adams ● 1502d

Think on balance our refuse/recycling is pretty good in Hounslow. Although much depends on the actual crew you get - we have one crew who put all the bins back outside the correct address, but others sling them all over the place, leaving residents to go and hunt them down.

Vanessa Smith ● 1502d

I think the crews and working practices are generally OK - but the frequency does need to be reviewed. Personally I would be quite happy with once a week for general waste, like Richmond. Why does Hounslow get a service which is so much poorer than all neighbouring boroughs other than Ealing when we are paying more Council tax.  What impact is this having, especially on larger households?  What I find particularly frustrating is that if I have a week where there is a lot more or problematic rubbish generated - I don't have many options except wait the full two weeks.  There is no flexibility.

Jackie Elton ● 1502d

You are lucky that it is as often as it is - which is like most councils.  It definitely isn't inferior to all neighbouring councils at all.  There are other councils with far fewer collections particularly of general waste since most of our waste can be recycled.Have you checked out that you are using ALL the facilities that the Council is providing kerbside for your household recycling and waste so that you are making the best of your Council Tax?  The weekly food waste bin collection is particularly important because food attracts vermin of all sorts.  Most of us could do with far fewer collections of the general waste now since just about everything can be recycled or reused somewhere even if it is not in the Council kerbside collection and we are learning increasing legal ways to manage it.It very much depends on what you choose to buy and where and how much packaging it has.  I'm sure everybody has some weeks where they have more than others and you have to choose how you manage it.  Knowing and having a good relationship with your neighbours can be very useful and you can reciprocate for them on another occasion.  The only problem I've ever seen which can be difficult to deal with is nappies - which I understand should be double wrapped - and there are are other legal solutions to that.https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20128/BTW I see there is a message on the website that today's and tomorrow's collections will start earlier because of the heatwave.

Philippa Bond ● 1502d

"Most of us could do with far fewer collections of the general waste now since just about everything can be recycled or reused somewhere even if it is not in the Council kerbside collection and we are learning increasing legal ways to manage it."This is not the case if you have cats who use a litter tray, which is why I always have quite a lot of black bag waste (I have four cats). Used litter is not recyclable!Black bag waste is not always about packaging.

Gail Busza ● 1502d

Hi Gail.  Years ago when I investigated this I think there was another alternative to cats' litter apart from throwing it all out other than them actually using your loo - which some do do!  There are new inventions all the time.I'm sure Claire Moran would agree with you too but we don't all have lots of cats.Re nappies:  I also forgot to say that I've noticed that those using disposable ones nowadays seem to wrap the whole thing up to put in the bin whereas when we were using terry nappies (still available as are more modern versions and some are often on free trial from local Councils or our Waste Authority - West London Waste Authority) we emptied out of the nappy and down the loo whatever we easily could. However DON'T EVER put nappies or wet wipes down the loo! (There are washable versions for bigger people on the market too.) https://westlondonwaste.gov.uk/nappiesWLWA has a new website - so do have a look.

Philippa Bond ● 1502d