Sheffield has one of the lowest landfill rates (Letters October 31st) but it also has one of the lowest recycling rates. In the last published figures from 2012/13 it’s rate of 27.72% was 321st out of 352 councils. Sheffielders need more options to recycle but, with an incinerator to be fed, there is little incentive under our contract with Veolia until 2036.
Yours Sincerely
Aodan Marken
Broomhill Green Party
Its a real problem in the less affluent more working class area. My husband who comes from a working class background says that culturally it just doesn’t fit with many people in that community. I know this is a generalisation (in fact we are both green party members) but it certainly appears to be true where we live (Wincobank). We regularly see people just throwing discarded food, drink, wrappers etc on the street and when I see what goes in the blue bins each week outside some houses, I’m horrified. Some people don’t even put out their blue bins/boxes anyway. I’ve seen cooked food, old nappies, electrical goods all put in the blue bins. I think unfortunately whether we like it or not its perhaps more of a challenge to educate people in some areas of Sheffield than in others.
The problem is when blue bins get full of rubbish that won’t be emptied. Residents don’t always know they can ask Veolia for help to empty them so they can start afresh.
When we canvassed in Broomhall and Sharrow, there were many intelligent people who simply didn’t have the information about what went in what bin and how to get the facilities they needed. We helped them with that.