Council staff have outraged residents by slapping “flags of shame” on their bins in what bosses say is a new initiative to “re-educate” families about recycling.
The row over collections by South Kesteven Council in Lincolnshire has already been branded a “bingate” scandal by Tory leader Michael Gove, who has demanded an official apology to local residents for the fiasco.
People living in the area say the new multi-bin system is too complicated and say they are running out of space in their gardens after being issued with three separate bins for different types of waste.
In addition to the standard black wheelie bin for household waste, households also have a purple bin reserved for paper and cardboard and a silver bin for plastic bottles, glass bottles and foil.
Since earlier this week, residents who have failed to fill two recycling bins with the correct contents have been stunned to find bin crews have attached warning labels to their uncollected rubbish.
The scheme sparked an uproar in the community, with furious locals calling it “petty” on social media.
South Kesteven resident Steve Hall said: “If your bin should be rejected like mine was today it wasn’t my fault but a nice passerby by putting the wrong rubbish in my bin then my recyclables will now be gone . in the black bin, reducing the amount that is recycled and ensuring that the council does not meet its recycling targets.
“It was enough to pull out a paper bag with used food packaging. You’ve already opened the bin lid, so you’re halfway there. Too many jobs. What happened to a decent work ethic and common sense? I am desperate.”
Click here to resize this module
Social media exploded with complaints about the labels, with some residents threatening to boycott the recycling program altogether and just put all their trash in black bins.
Natalie Thompson wrote on Facebook: “I got a mark of shame… for recycling carrier bags and white bin liners that were full of recycling. The label warned that the bags were non-recyclable and could not be processed. It’s counterintuitive because the council gives away bags that you can buy for more recycling.”
Paul Cassata joked: “They marked our bin without opening it – they must bring me some x-ray glasses they put on the waste collectors!”
Claire Hadlow added: “The first time I unloaded my cardboard bin was the night before collection. The next day, a sign appeared on it saying it was contaminated. Someone dropped a disposable diaper on it. I left it there and won’t use it again. It’s been sitting outside with two others – both marked – for the past few months.’
The multi-bin system was first introduced at the beginning of February this year, along with stickers to educate people on how to dispose of waste properly.
Statistics revealed that around 7,000 incorrectly filled silver recycling bins were not collected in South Kesteven on 19 February and 20 February.
This outraged residents and forced the council to start collecting contaminated recycling bins, giving people more time to adjust to the new system.
Four months later, the council’s deputy chief executive Richard Wyles warned residents that from Monday 10 June these bins would not be emptied if they “contain non-recyclables”.
Mr Wyles said: “Thank you to everyone who sorted their recycling carefully; this collaboration helps us get into a position where we can recycle as much of what goes into the bins as possible.
“We have been open and transparent in saying that silver bin collections from the week of Monday 10 June may be refused if the bins contain non-recyclables.
According to the council, waste workers rejected 6 per cent of recycling collections in the first two days of this week – for including items such as food, toys, plant pots, nappies or dog waste.
Click here to resize this module
Paper and cardboard and soft plastics including rubbish bags, plastic carrier bags, cling film and fragile packages are the most common items incorrectly left in the silver bin, the local authority added.
The council said it would also “collect data from the bins to understand what residents still find puzzling – and where it can help further”.
“Anyone who has a marked bin or who has any waste or recycling questions that need answering can speak to our staff. They are all well informed and have information leaflets available if needed,” added Mr Wyles.
Conservative MP Michael Gove, the housing, housing and communities secretary, joined the bin debate in February when he called for a formal apology to residents whose bins were overflowing.
“South Kesteven District Council has had great Conservative representation in the past, but I am concerned about Ashley Baxter, the leader of the Independents, that there is still no appropriate response or apology for this scandal,” Gove said in a video shared on X. .
Jonathan Eida, a researcher at the Taxpayers’ Alliance, added: “Taxpayers are sick and tired of wasting time sorting rubbish.
“While wanting to increase recycling may be a noble ambition, these increasingly complex rules and limited collections risk penalizing hard-working households who make innocent mistakes.
“Local authorities should focus on providing services that residents pay for, not petty bureaucracy that belongs in the bin.”