Bins revolution

From June 2009, residents in Wallingford, Abingdon, Didcot, Wantage, and villages across the area will see changes in rubbish services.

One firm will collect recyclable and non-recyclable waste on alternate weeks from homes under South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Councils.

The local authorities insist the move is an attempt encourage people to recycle and cut costs, but people are concerned about the scheme.

News there will also be a weekly food waste collection have helped douse worries about rat infestations caused by festering rubbish.

Antie Bowden, 57, of Ock Drive, Berinsfield, said: "I think it will get a lot of short shrift as I think a lot of people will still put it out weekly. It's inconvenient, as you can't have two weeks of rubbish piling up."

Renee Thomson, 76, of Ilges Lane, Cholsey, said: "What I object to most is having the bins, they are quite big things, and they would have to sit in the front garden, it would be very unsightly. I'm not in favour of it."

Maureen Iles, 65, of Brookmead Drive, Wallingford, said: "I would rather it was collected every week, as it just piles up otherwise. Short of that, I think, the supermarkets have got to stop packaging everything. It's just the sheer amount, because what you put in the recycling bins isn't going to lessen, it's just going to go up and up. It will become unmanageable. I am still fit and able, but for a lot of people, once you get newspapers and magazines in the bins, it would get very heavy."

But Dean Bateson, 25, of Albermarle Drive, Grove, welcomed the idea.

He said: "As long as they supply what we need to do it.

"I would not mind the two-weekly collection if the bins are big enough. It's all about trying to make the Vale cleaner and safer, and that's a good thing. I would like to see a trial period, and also would hope that the council would consult all residents before introducing it." Judy Thomas, 65, of Miles Drive, Grove, said: "I don't like the idea of fortnightly collections, but if they take the food away weekly, that's my main bug bear."

At the moment, both councils offer weekly collections of recycling and rubbish.

But when the changes are introduced, residents can expect their non-recyclable waste to be collected fortnightly from wheelie bins.

Recycling, including glass, mixed plastics, cans, and paper, will also be collected fortnightly from wheelie bins or boxes, and food waste will be collected weekly from a kitchen caddy.

It is thought households in both districts would have their rubbish collected in the same way, by one company, from June 2009 in South Oxfordshire, and autumn 2010 in the Vale.

Jenny Hannaby, a Vale district councillor and executive member for waste procurement, said: "From the start of the new contract in autumn 2010, there will continue to be weekly collection of waste from people's homes, but for food waste only.

"While recycling and non-recyclable waste will be collected fortnightly, diverting food waste from this should meet people's concerns."

David Dodds, cabinet member for environmental services at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: "We have to radically reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill, as space is rapidly running out, and we face large penalties from Government if we don't.

"To make storing rubbish and recycling easier, we will be introducing wheeled bins, which will also reduce the risk of waste littering the streets when it's windy.

"We will also be looking at alternatives for those who cannot accommodate wheeled bins, such as those living in flats or terraces."

Oxfordshire County Council's plans for a multi-million-pound giant food composter is expected to process the waste when it becomes operational next year.

Residents can opt-in to a fortnightly collection of garden waste in wheelie bins or biodegradable sacks. This would be charged separately.

The two councils have narrowed down three companies, Kier, Serco, and Verdant, as the final contenders for the waste collection and street cleansing contract.

A decision is expected before the end of the year.

Neither council could say if, or how much, money would be saved until negotiations had been completed.