Amazon’s fault for bin woes, and why Bank Holiday collections are doubtful

Amazon and other online retailers are to blame for placing a huge strain on recycling collections which have come to the fore over the past two months.

Missed collections were previously blamed on new routes taking time to bed in, but several councillors have revealed that online retailing and the cardboard packaging that it entails have resulted in a huge increase in the amount of recycling we put out each week.

This has resulted in lorries filling up a lot quicker and having to make more journeys to recycling depots to offload.

And if your collections are due tomorrow (Bank Holiday Monday), councillors who attended a briefing at the recycling depot in Abermule on Friday have revealed that despite incentives being offered, staff are still reluctant to work Bank Holidays.

“Guilsfield was one of the areas mentioned that it is unlikely that collections will happen for this Monday,” one councillor told us. “But the advice, as always, is to put it out, and leave it out as it will likely get collected on Tuesday.”

Cllr Jeremy Brignell-Thorpe, the county councillor for Montgomery, also shared information online from the briefing to explain that the service had a shortage of vehicles so that any breakdown resulted in delays. He said that two new electric vehicles were on order to ease problems.

The building boom over the past couple of years has also seen the number of properties increase with Powys now having over 71,000.

Last month, Powys County Council apologised following the introduction of new routes, but has reassured residents that they are now bedding in and disruptions should be reduced moving forward.