Two Bin Bag Limit Leads to Fly-Tipping in Bridgend

Two Bin Bag Limit Leads to Fly-Tipping in Bridgend

The two refuse bag limit in Bridgend is causing public litter bins to overflow, according to local councillors who have warned that people are taking their household waste to bins in streets and parks to dispose of it.

The two bag system has been in force since June last year, and the aim of the rule was to increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill sites. The results of the introduction of the new system have been astonishing; Bridgend has gone from being the second worst performing local authority for recycling in Wales to the second best in less than a year. But it’s not all good news. The new system has also resulted in waste being dumped in public bins.

The issue was brought up in a council meeting when councillors were discussing how effective the council’s waste management scheme was. One councillor raised concerns that because people are only allowed to use two bin bags per fortnight, they’re taking their rubbish to public bins. Several other councillors agreed that this was a concern and said that they had seen it for themselves. One said that he sees overfilled public bins every day with bags of rubbish around them. Another said that she had seen people stopping at public bins in their cars and getting rid of their waste.

The council has encouraged people to report any incidents they see, and said it has enforcement teams on the case to find the culprits and hand out penalties. It added that officers recently dealt with a number of fly-tipped bin bags in the Maesteg area and the addresses of some of the offenders had been found amongst the rubbish so enforcement action was taken.

The head of neighbourhood services for the council commented that most people abide by the rules and that’s why the county has gone from being one of the worst recyclers in Wales to one of the best. He added that there are times when a minority try and flout the rules, but most people have changed their recycling behaviour for the better.