Anger as Doncaster green bin cuts bite

The claim comes as a lorry driver who is currently off work due to an injury raised concerns that he was being left unable to do anything about a green bin which is full to the brim.

Bobby McGeechan is off work after damaging ligaments in his neck when a roller shutter door stuck him, leaving him unable to drive or lift things.

His wife has pruned fruit trees in the garden, shredded them and out them in the bin - but he said they were too heavy for her to take to the recycling site.

McGeechan, of Bedale Road, Scawsby, said: "The green bins have not been collected since the beginning of December. Ours is now completely full, and my wife has not finished pruning the fruit trees.

"I rang up to ask what was happening and was told I would just have to take it down to the tip.

"I pay council tax and that's what they're doing. I've spoken to the binmen and they say they have had a lot of complaints. My neighbours are cross as well."

The previous arrangement saw black bins collected every two weeks, and green bins every two weeks.

Doncaster Council has defended the changes.

Assistant director of environment, Gill Gillies, said: “We decided to stop garden waste collections in the winter months, because every year the amount of this type of waste goes down significantly during this time and there was a significant cost incurred sending collection crews out to collect empty bins. It doesn’t make sense to the majority of residents who don’t use their green bin for those months for the council to run a year-round service that they don’t use.

“There are a number of other ways people can dispose of garden waste in the winter – if they can’t get to a household waste recycling centre, then they could compost the waste, which is what quite a number of people do. Alternatively, you can always leave the waste in your bin for it to be collected again in March.”