New company fails to make the grade on very first day
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Angry residents throughout the borough have been inundating Ealing Council with phone, email and twitter messages following the failure to collect their recycling waste.
Environmental services contractor, Enterprise, took over from May Gurney on Sunday, April 1st and would “ keep the borough’s streets spic and span and collect household rubbish and recycling” ...according to the Council.
Their company logo is 'maintaining the infrastructure of the UK.'
However, problems in Ealing began on Monday (2nd) and a week later a local councillor in Hanwell and in the Southfield ward are both seeing evidence themselves.
Green boxes and white bags full of glass, plastics along with food recycling - all due to be cleared away were left on the pavements.
A forum member from Hanwell said :
'' there is chaos round here today, food and litter are everywhere.''
Another spoke of 'foxes having a field day'.
In roads where recycling has been collected, boxes and bags have not been returned.
There were requests for residents' patience as the new contractor took over.
However, failure to get through to the council on the phone or by website - and an apparent delay communicating these 'teething' problems has led to frustration from many.
Enterprise is believed to be currently renting 25 lorries and awaiting 30 new trucks which are expected to arrive in June.
It's been suggested that some of these new collection vehicles are are too big to get down many of the roads which has led one forum member to describe it as a 'cock-up of enormous proportions.'
The contract with Enterprise covers waste, recycling, street cleaning, parks and grounds maintenance, and burial and cemetary service.
A council spokeswoman said: "Apologies to anyone whose recycling or refuse collection has been missed. We have had some teething problems but we have got extra crews working to clear up any missed areas today, or at the latest tomorrow. Residents should leave their recycling or refuse out as usual for collection.
“It is worth noting that food waste will be collected separately from other recycling.
To report a missed collection visit www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling or contact our customer services team on 020 8825 6000.”
Read the latest update from the council here and apologies from Cllr Bassam Mahfouz here
This latest rubbish controversy comes just after the Council introduced a subscription service for garden waste collection, which angered many locals. Ealing residents are now being charged £40 a year to have garden waste collected.
Have you been affected? Discuss on your local forum.
April 9, 2012