Ennerdale Rubbish Problem - it's better BUT it's not a solution

On the night before Christmas Ennerdale House got a Christmas present.

FINALLY after 56 DAYS some additional non-recycling bins were delivered to accommodate all the rubbish too big to go down the chute and not suitable for recycling.  

24th December 2010:  Extra new bins on the left
Now where have they been hiding for the last 2 months?

It's just a pity that nobody thought it a good idea to tell residents what they should now do.

As a result on 26th December, although the area around the bins is a lot better than it would have been otherwise..........

26th December 2010: No rubbish left on the ground or next to bins - at long last! BUT....

.....the fact remains that 

• the recycling bins are contaminated and 
• all the bins are on view when they should be screened from view as per the standard for all residential estates.

As a result the rubbish in the contaminated bins was not collected on 27th December when rubbish collections started up again.

27th December 2010:  Contaminated recycling bins - NOT collected 

MERA believes that the reasons why the recycling bins are contaminated are:

• there are not enough "ordinary" bins for rubbish which cannot be recycled and hence rubbish is put in any bin which has space
• there are no signs next to the bins telling people what to do
• communication with residents of Ennerdale House has been ineffective.  For example it assumes all flats have at least one resident who can read long complicated letters in English - which is unlikely.

What is still required before this problem is resolved?
Communication will be considered effective ONLY when ALL residents understand where to put their rubbish because communication had been community oriented and accessible.

Put simply it's not whether a letter has been sent - it's whether a letter has been understood!

Waste management and collection will ONLY be considered efficient and effective and of an appropriate standard for a domestic residential environment when 

• there are enough "black" bins for all the non-recycling rubbish
• communication about which bins to use for which rubbish has improved at the bin site
• bins are emptied on a frequency which means they never overflow
• all contaminated recycling bins are dealt with promptly
• an appropriate place is designated and signposted for all large items left out for disposal
• residents are treated with respect and a safe designated bin/rubbish site is SCREENED from view/the entrance to the Ennerdale site - as is the standard for all other areas of the estate.  There other more appropriate places to put the bins which mean they are not on view to those entering and exiting Ennerdale House.  

The role of EastendHomes Board Members / Mile End East Ward Councillors

We will now be asking EastendHomes Board members and local ward Councillors Rachael Saunders and Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman to do a Councillors Enquiry to find out why the simple action of providing extra bins took Tower Hamlets Council a total of 56 days - during which time residents have had to endure piles of unsightly rubbish at the entrance to their homes.

Links to previous posts about this problem - all of which have been ignored to date:

• Ennerdale House Rubbish Problem: Day 54
• Ennerdale rubbish problem: DAY 53 and counting......
• Ennerdale House Rubbish problem continues
• Veolia needs to clean up its act in Mile End
• Tower Hamlets Council: 20 days to clear waste management problem!
• Ennerdale House: refuse collection update
• Ennerdale Rufuse Mess due to Telford Homes & EastendHomes

The problem was first reported to the Council on 31st October 2010 after Telford Homes blocked off the access to the rubbish skip at the rear of Ennerdale House without any prior notice.

One working days left before our complaint 

to the Council goes to the Ombudsman.

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