RESIDENTS who have never had a blue bin will have to cough up £20 for a new one as part of Barnsley Council’s controversial recycling shake-up drawing criticism from Barnsley’s only Liberal Democrat councillor.
Since August the unpopular white sacks for paper recycling have been withdrawn from use, with residents being asked to instead put their paper-based waste in the blue bin together with all cardboard.
However, some residents particularly those who live at new-build houses which were completed when the sacks were in use have criticised the move and say the council should provide houses missing a blue bin with one free of charge.
Liberal Democrat Hannah Kitching, who represents the Penistone West ward, called it ‘unfair’.
“A number of residents have contacted me asking why they must pay to replace a service that the council has withdrawn,” she said. “These people were using their white paper recycling bags very happily and have never had any need for a blue bin.
“Provision of recycling services is a core service and the council should be doing everything we can to ensure recycling is as easy as possible for residents.
“It simply is not fair to ask residents to pay for a blue bin when they have never previously had one just so they can continue to access this service.”
The situation is compounded by the fact that Barnsley has had no paper banks at any of its household waste recycling centres since 2015, effectively forcing residents to either pay for a blue bin or put their paper waste in the grey bin with the general rubbish.
Coun Kitching is pushing for the changes to be debated at full council and vowed to bring the matter before the local authority’s ruling cabinet members.
“There are people who are keen to continue to recycle paper and have even visited the local recycling centres, only to discover there are no paper banks there either,” she added. “I know some residents have been taking their paper waste to Sheffield recycling centres as they do not wish to put it in the grey bin.
“All I am asking for is a debate on the matter and a chance to persuade Labour councillors to introduce a fairer policy and waive the charge for those residents who haven’t previously had a blue bin.
Helen Smiley, 73, of Lowe Lane, Stainborough, said she couldn’t understand why the council couldn’t continue collecting paper in white sacks from residents who don’t have a blue bin, or who have an overspill from their blue bin.
“People who have put white paper sacks out have had them taken away by the council.
“It’s a shame because we are not being given a blue bin to throw our paper and cardboard into and in order to receive a bin we have to pay £20. It’s just ridiculous. I’ve been recycling virtually all my life, but they’re not making it easy.”
The council believes using the blue bin for both paper and card will lead to an increase in the overall recycling rates - by as much as five per cent - because residents can put both in the same bin which they can wheel to the kerbside rather than carrying the cumbersome white sack.
Weights of paper being collected had fallen from 6,000 tonnes to 2,000 since 2013 and it had become ‘uneconomical’ to continue using split-body wagons, which are refuse lorries with two separate areas for waste.
Coun Roy Miller, cabinet spokesman, said the move ‘proves the council listens to its residents’.
“We decided to remove the paper sacks following feedback from residents and changes in recycling habits,” he told the Chronicle.
“Since 2014, paper recycling has reduced significantly, while cardboard recycling has increased, with more people buying items online and needing to recycle packaging.
“We know that the paper sacks were quite unpopular and therefore the move to the blue bin makes recycling easier. We are unable to offer a blue bin collection service from Smithies as it’s a working depot the £20 charge is for delivery of the bin.
“We are currently in the process of procuring a new household waste and recycling contract but we will continue to increase recycling levels in the area.
“One of the ways that this can be achieved this is by making sure we collect a wider range and larger amount of recyclables from our residents, which the switch from bag to bin will allow.”
