Resident angry over council workers misuse of general waste bins

A resident claims he witnessed council refuse workers “throw recyclable plastic, cans and paper” into general waste bins.

Medryn Williams who lives in the Upper Garth Road, Bangor claims he saw Cyngor Gwynedd workers tossing the weekly household recycled items into the general waste.

The items, including plastic, tins and paper, had been left outside about 20 homes in recycle boxes awaiting the council’s weekly collection service, last Tuesday (January 24).

Mr Williams, a water board technician, said: “I was shocked to witness the recycling staff collectors throwing blue recycling box items into the usual rubbish wheelie bins, which are green, in the Upper Garth Road area of Bangor.

“This happened at over 20 households in the area, then when the general rubbish vehicle came, it just collected the recycling items mixed in with rubbish, everything in one bin.

“It just seems pointless that myself and others are going to the effort of sorting and washing our recycle items, then putting them out for collection every week, for them to get mixed up with all the other rubbish.”

A council spokeserson said it was investigating the “isolated incident”.

Mr Williams said he and other neighbours had reported the matter to the council’s environment department head Dafydd Wyn Williams, council leader Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn and the chief executive Dafydd Gibbard.

Mr Williams said “How this world is going on now, it is vital that we recycle. But this has made me question what is the point?

“I spend my time recycling, as do other residents in the area, we put things into the right containers every week, then these workers go and do this.

Canol Bangor Councillor Huw Wyn Jones confirmed the matter had been reported to him.

“I heard the same story from several other sources and the council is looking into what happened.”

A spokesperson said: “We are grateful to all Gwynedd residents who take their time to sort their waste and for playing their part in ensuring that more than 65% of the county’s waste is recycled.

“We want to reassure people that as much waste as possible collected from the blue boxes and brown bins is put to good use.

“We are aware of this isolated incident at Bangor and are investigating.”