Southwark Council: Bin our bins

The residents of Ivanhoe Road have for some time been issued with large green 'wheelie bins' by Southwark council for the purpose of disposing of refuse. In more recent years there has been the addition of partitioned plastic blue boxes which are designed to accommodate the different types of recyclable refuse. The most recent addition is a selection of: Large plastic blue wheelie bins, medium plastic brown bins and small plastic brown bins.

It is the general consensus of the local residents that these bins are unattractive, cumbersome and for the most part, unnecessarily large. This is an unsatisfactory situation at the north end of the road, but at the south end (where the west side properties open directly onto the street, and most the east side properties have shared frontages which are designed in such a way that the bins cannot be wheeled off the street because of steps) the situation is intolerable.

As the properties are designed in this way, all the different types of bins are on the pavement for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Firstly, they are an obstruction. Elderly people with shopping trolleys or mobility vehicles and parents with the wider types of 'buggies' are simply unable to pass between the Bins and the cars and vans that are parked on the roadside, and are consequently forced onto the Road. In addition, the contents of the bins and boxes are often spilled knocked or otherwise jettisoned onto the pavement causing a serious health issue. Not only is this a trip hazard waiting to happen, there is also an increased risk of vermin and disease where the waste is organic. There are several alternatives to the current method of refuse collection from this neighbourhood but the most popular suggestion among the residents, is that of a communal bin store or stores positioned strategically, so as to allow access to all residents.

Such stores could even be secured to prevent unauthorised use by none residents; either by the way of lock and keys or a coded entry system.