Sheffield city centre is being overwhelmed with the number of overflowing bins following an ongoing waste collection dispute between two unions within Veolia’s workforce.
Sheffield City Council works alongside Veolia to provide households with waste and recycling services.
Councillor Joe Otten, Chair of Waste and Street Scene Policy Committee said: “When it comes to the city centre specifically, we’re aware the main issue relates to commercial bins on highways that should be stored on commercial premises but some businesses have difficulty storing these bins. We have been working with businesses advising them of the regulations they need to follow and how we can help.”
Each year the city council carry out 14 million bin collections with 99.9% of them being carried out as scheduled.
Richard Firth, a member of Sheffield Litter Pickers said: “It needs a fundamental root and branch reform of how the city’s cleaning resources are distributed and utilised.”
In Sheffield, responsibility for street cleanliness is shared between the city council and private contractor Amey.
Multiple companies handle bin collections, with council contractor Veolia and several other waste removal firms managing both residential and commercial bins.
Sheffield has 27,000 residents inside the inner ring road. The city council wants 35,000 by 2030 to bring “vitality” back to the city centre.
The council advice to ensure bins are collected that residents keep bin lids closed and anyone living in a large household of six people or more, or residents with medical conditions generating more waste can apply for additional black bin capacity.
Coun Otten added: “The council continues to offer its support to facilitate a resolution where possible, and waste collection continues across the city.”
Sheffield City Council also ensures residential households receive information regarding their waste and recycling services through social media, email bulletins and via a collection calendar delivered citywide.
Each year a campaign is carried out to support waste management, which includes an annual end of term student campaign to collect additional bags of waste. At the start of each student year collection calendars are delivered to 8,000 properties advising them on the necessary waste collection services.
Any resident struggling to manage their waste can visit www.sheffield.gov.uk/waste or contact Veolia on 0114 2734567 for advice on their waste and recycling services.
Similarly, issues of bins being left on the street, including overloaded bins, can be reported to wastemanagement@sheffield.gov.uk