Red faced staff providing Haringey’s ‘green box’ recycling service have issued a green box to a local resident only to take it back again when they realised that the person concerned did not live in the area covered by Haringey’s doorstop service.

Local resident John Trafford-Owen, of Newnham Road, Wood Green, had asked for the ‘green box’ in a bid to help Haringey boost its recycling rate. The box was duly delivered. When Mr Trafford phoned again to ask when his bottles, cans and newspapers would be collected, he was told that Newnham road is not on Haringey’s limited collection route. The Council then had to arrange for the box to be taken back again.

Mr Trafford-Owen says:

“This is a case of Haringey’s left hand not being too well acquainted with its right. The department that issues the boxes is not the same as the one that collects them. While council staff were helpful and polite, it’s not much use for them to take the trouble to provide a recycling box if they have no intention of collecting any recycling.”

Lib Dem councillor Lynne Featherstone comments:

“On a more serious note, this tale highlights Haringey’s failure to roll out its recycling service across the borough. Haringey has a terrible recycling rate, and this needs to be improved as soon as possible. People like Mr Trafford-Owen are only to willing to oblige if the council will let them, but their streets are left out at the moment.”