Haringey Liberal Democrats’ campaign against a future move by Haringey Council towards fortnightly rubbish collections received a warm reception from carnival goers at its launch at the Tottenham Carnival on 23 rd June 2007.

The Lib Dems have expressed their concerns that collecting rubbish only fortnightly would be inappropriate for an urban area like Haringey and would be likely to cause an increase in smell and vermin as well as escalating problems of rubbish volumes for residents living in flats.

They are arguing that there are much better ways of increasing recycling rates, such as by providing more flexible access for residents to recycling facilities, increasing the types of items that can be recycled, and encouraging much more business recycling.

At 27th March 2007 meeting of the Council’s ‘watchdog’ committee Cllr Brian Haley, Labour member for Environment and Conservation was less than forthcoming when he said that scrapping weekly collections was “not on the horizon for the near future” but “there was nothing ruled in and there is nothing ruled out”. Lib Dems have issued a challenge to the Labour Council to make their policy on fortnightly collections clear to residents.

Cllr Bob Hare, Lib Dem spokesperson on sustainability comments:

“Our campaign highlights the complete incompatibility of fortnightly rubbish collections with an urban area like Haringey. Our borough is too densely populated to scrap weekly collections without increasing the amounts of smell and vermin. Whereas rural areas may be able to cope with collections every other week, imagine a high-rise flat coping with the amounts of waste all residents must produce in two weeks.

“To increase recycling rates what is needed is a clearly thought out doorstep recycling scheme that maximises the amount that can be recycled. What we have seen from Labour is a co-mingled service that does not deliver the quantity or quality recycling that is needed.”

Cllr Richard Wilson, Lib Dem Deputy Leader said:

“We all remember the piles of rubbish and the stench caused by last summer’s bin strikes in Haringey.Fortnightly bin collections would cause these problems all year round.

“Labour need to make their position clear. They should listen to residents and the Lib Dems and say they won’t scrap weekly refuse collections.”