Recycling - where are they???

Is anyone else experiencing recycling problems? Our usually very reliable weekly collection didn't happen last Friday, and it looks like they're not coming again today. Needless to say, the Environment Customer "Services" people at Southwark are being completely unhelpful.

Two weeks and we're still waiting for our recycling bins to be emptied...

The recycling bins nearest me have now disappeared altogether, after experiencing several months of the same problems described by Henry.

This site still suggests the missing bins as my nearest recycling point.

Somewhat ironic that this is happening during Recycle Week 2008.

They eventually came here in Princess Street, much later than normal, but they've taken it all away. FIngers crossed that we're back on track.

We are having some recycling problems as well... bags not being collected (two weeks in a row) and no new bags provided. Does anybody know where we can get those transparent recycling bags?

We've gone two weeks without a collection as well. Is there a strike or something?

we've been having problems too - some of our bins not emptied for at least 2 months!

I've emailed, and rang Southwark environment team, and had replies assuring me that they will be emptied.

Unortunately the paper recycling bin was set fire to on Saturday, so now has no lid.

Seems all a bit of sham to me - Southwark can say they offer door step collections but in reality the service is very patchy and more importantly the everything-in-one-bag method is not very 'green' at all.

I agree, Jonathan

Especially since the transparent bags are made of ... plastic!

When they started this scheme, my block already had three black Eurobins for paper, tins and glass. So, I rang Southwark Council to suggest that if they just added another one of these bins for plastic, then there would be no need for the transparent bag scheme which seems to duplicate what they're already doing but with massive manpower involved in running up and down stairs (which is completely unnecessary and stupidly inefficient) and then in the sorting of it all back at base. I was given a reference number...

Needless to say, the clear bag scheme has proved to be almost unworkable. I rarely get a pick up every week and once, we went 8 weeks without!

I suspect the guys doing the job can't be bothered to climb to the top floors every week. This suspicion was borne out when I saw the truck going down Webber Row one day and only collecting from the maisonettes on the north side (easy access)and ignoring the five storey blocks of flats on the south side even though they had their bags outside awaiting collecion.

A pointless and idiotic waste of money and human resources, IMHO

And we've missed another collection making it 3 weeks in a row now. I noticed that people are beginning to dump their recycling bags in the bin and it is hard to argue with them seeing as otherwise they'll be clogged up with an awful lot of recycling waste. Anyone got a direct dial number at the Council to hand? Will just call the switchboard otherwise.