Barnsbury recycling bins left overflowing over Christmas
The overflowing recycling bins in Barnsbury. - Credit: Jennie Loveday
Recycling bins serving an Islington block of flats were left to overflow for nearly three weeks over Christmas for what a campaigner says is the third year running.
No recycling collections were made for the Barnsbury block near Maygood Street from December 17 to the beginning of January because, Islington Council said, of pressures to do with the coronavirus pandemic.
Jennie Loveday, who has lived on the Barnsbury estate for 20 years, said as the bins filled, residents were forced to throw paper packaging, boxes and recyclable gifts away as waste for landfill.
She told the Gazette: "I am passionate about recycling and sustainability - it is fundamentally important that we are recycling and the council are letting us down.
“It’s off-putting for people and as it’s flats, we don’t have anywhere to put it."
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Jennie, who spent two years lobbying for a third recycling bin to serve her block, was "fortunate" to have space to store her Christmas recyclables on her balcony until the bins were cleared.
Jennie stored her recycling on her balcony. - Credit: Jennie Loveday
She alleges this is the third year running recycling has not been collected over Christmas, and urged the authority to take note for the festive season in 2021.
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“It’s so frustrating," Jennie said. "There’s so much going on in the world so I know it’s not a high priority this year, but when it’s three years, why is it always a problem?”
The council said it could not find a record of previous complaints.
An Islington Council spokesperson said: “Islington Council is determined to ensure that the borough remains as clean and tidy as possible, and our refuse and recycling collection teams work hard to help achieve this.
“We apologise to residents in Barnsbury for the delay in recycling collections in their area over Christmas. The festive season is always a busy and challenging time for waste collection teams and this, coupled with a reduction in personnel due to coronavirus restrictions, led to the delay.
“The situation has now been rectified, and staff continue to work through the pandemic in order to ensure residents’ refuse and recycling is collected on time."
The recycling bins on the Barnsbury estate overflowed over nearly three weeks. - Credit: Jennie Loveday
READ MORE: Islington’s ‘dismal’ recycling rates dipped this year
Jennie campaigned for three recycling bins on the Barnsbury estate. - Credit: Jennie Loveday
