Refuse collection controversy as figures are called into question

Councillor Jacqui Beswick, Cabinet Member for Environment with the biodegradable bags for food watse

Neil Longsden contacted Rochdale Online to say that he objected to the proposed changes to the bin collection routine and that he believes the figures being used by Rochdale Council to back up the proposals are wrong.

He said: "I understand research by Cllr Jaqui Beswick’s team has shown that 32% of each household rubbish bin (the green bin) consists of waste food. This MUST be totally wrong.

"One third of each household’s general rubbish is waste food? How can that be bearing in mind the bin is emptied every two weeks and Rochdale is supposed to be a poor and deprived area with many relying on hand-outs and food kitchens – that does not correlate to one third of each household’s general rubbish bin being waste food.

"At present there is no food waste placed in any of my bins but my paper bin is full each fortnight as is the general waste bin. If those bins are only to be collected every three weeks I will have bags of rubbish to also be removed on collection days which will attract rats and vermin.

"This is a retrograde step and should not be approved."

A spokesman for Rochdale Council said: "The latest audit on waste in Greater Manchester in March 2012 revealed that over 35% of residual waste was food waste, a more recent audit in Falkirk showed a food waste element of 32% and Zero Waste Scotland reported 31%.

"The commonly used terminology across different authorities is that ‘approximately one third of all household residual waste is food waste’.

"We chose to use one of the more recent figures, i.e. 32%, so that whatever the 2015 actuals are in Rochdale we are confident that we have not overstated our case."