Mismanaging residential waste amounts to "anti-social behaviour"

Thursday 03 August 2023

CCTV could be installed in known 'hot spots' to stop people dumping rubbish in St Peter Port.

House-proud residents have made repeated complaints about rubbish dropped in the street, and black bags put out on the wrong night or without stickers.

Recent complaints have seen the Cordier Hill, Vauvert and Back Street areas highlighted as "hot spots" for litter, with some residents saying they're fed up with it. 

The Douzaine said it also recognises those same areas as "hot spots" and it's a continual effort to keep those streets and other areas cleared of rubbish. 

"We have been working really hard with all agencies in regards to waste in GY1," said St Peter Port Constable Zoe Lihou.

"The areas being noted are known hotspots and it is the residents putting waste out too early prior to collection which is a large part of the issue," she said.

Pictured: The St Peter Port Parish website offers information about bin nights and waste collections.

Rubbish collections across the island changed when the now-well established waste strategy came in during 2019. Some central areas of St Peter Port still get weekly black bag collections as well as weekly collections for recyclables and food waste.

Guernsey Waste's Operations Manager Sarah Robinson said staff are often asked to do extra pick ups because of problems in some areas. 

"Guernsey Waste will follow-up any reports of non-compliance, such as where bags have been set out without payment stickers or on the wrong night, and where we can identify those responsible we will take enforcement action. That can include a fine of up to £60.  

"We carry out this role on behalf of the parishes, and we continue to work with St Peter Port to tackle those areas where there are issues." 

Mrs Lihou said problems can arise in town specifically, when densely populated areas are due their bin nights.

Pictured: St Peter Port Constable Zoe Lihou.

"Multi occupancy properties in densely populated areas of town, without sophisticated waste receptacles is the issue," she suggested.

"The difficulty is that every time States Works are diverted from their business as usual to go and collect strewn rubbish etc, its an inefficient use of (Parish) resources.

"We have discussed sending letters to residents and are looking into installing temporary CCTV in the area- in response to complaints from residents in these hotspots."

Mrs Lihou said CCTV has previously proven effective at reducing waste dumping in town which she described as a form of anti social behaviour.

"Mismanaging residential waste is another form of anti social behaviour as the negative impact on neighbourhood brings the area down. As many are taking to social media are actually considering moving out the area."

Mrs Lihou suggested such densely populated areas in St Peter Port may benefit from facilities such as ‘Iceberg Bins’ (similar to the one depicted above) but she said the island's infrastructure may not support such things.

"Clearly improvements need to be made. With so many large States projects and committees vying for share of budgets-there is a chance these sorts of needed solutions will not be deemed a priority," she warned.

Some of the so-called "hot spots" in St Peter Port are where there is a mix of privately owned and rented housing and States owned accommodation.

Ed Ashton, Director of Operations for Social Security & Inclusion, said that they've had complaints about Cordier Hill in particular recently.

“Housing has recently received a number of complaints about the way some residents at Cordier Hill put out their household rubbish and have written to tenants to ask for their cooperation in helping to keep the area clean and safe.   

"The letter reminded residents that, under the terms of their Tenancy Agreement, rubbish must be kept in something secure for storage between collections, such as a dustbin, and that a bin sack alone is not secure. The letter also served to remind residents that household rubbish must not be put out earlier than the evening before collection, which is currently on a Monday morning."

Pictured: Rubbish at Cordier Hill was recently highlighted on Facebook.

Mr Ashton said the problem doesn't just lie with residents in the "problem areas" though, with reports of other people also dumping their rubbish in those known "hot spots".

"We have also received unconfirmed reports of rubbish being left in the area by people that do not live at Cordier Hill," he said. "Where we have evidence of this, we will seek to recover the costs for removing the waste from those responsible.

"I encourage any islanders who witness fly-tipping to take care not to touch it, but to please take photos, and report it straight away to Guernsey Waste by filling out the form at gov.gg/flytipping.”

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