Fife Council blames residents for missed bin collections

Failure to pick up household waste from the kerbside is a common complaint from residents but the local authority have rubbished the idea that they're solely to blame.

Ahead of changes to the bin collection service, Fife Council said: "Many missed bins are due to residents not presenting them at the kerb in time.

"The new arrangement gives people more time to get their bins out and reduces noise, providing a quieter environment for residents."

There will be changes to the bin collections in Fife from October 14. (Image: Fife Council) There were 870 'missed bins' in the City of Dunfermline area in 2023-24 and 790 in the Cowdenbeath area but the council say this should now improve.

A new single shift pattern - replacing the current two shift pattern - for waste service workers in Fife will begin on Monday October 14, with most households likely to be affected by the change.

After some trouble with the website last week, when it crashed, online collection calendars are now available for Fifers to check, to ensure that bins are placed out on the correct days.

Currently, they can be emptied any time between 6am and 9pm. This will change to between 7am and 4.30pm, offering better hours for residents and council staff.

The council added that the increase in new housing across the region and the extra travelling required means that the two-shift system is no longer practical.

Environment spokesperson, Councillor Jan Wincott, said: "The introduction of a single shift system is key to providing a more reliable and consistent bin collection service.

"As well as helping residents, the removal of unsociable hours will also enable us to attract and retain staff.

“We know that waste and recycling services are very important and we encourage everyone to make a note of their new collection schedule to ensure that bins are placed at the kerb in time for collection."

Fife Council said that many of the missed bins are down to residents not putting them out in time. (Image: Newsquest)

The four-bin recycling system will continue to be delivered across Fife and household waste will still be emptied five days a week from Monday to Friday.

However, around 3,000 rural and hard-to-access properties will transition to a "more comprehensive" three-bin system which, the council said, should boost recycling levels.

Service manager for domestic waste and street cleansing, Sandy Anderson, said: "We're making these changes to improve bin collections. We know that change can be challenging and we appreciate the effort that Fifers put into recycling at home.

"If you are the person who takes the lead in putting out the right bins on the right day, so your neighbours can follow suit, we'd like to thank you for your help and support in supporting people to ensure their bins go out on time.

"Fife Council highly values the support of our local 'Binfluencers' in looking after our local environment and communities."

Leaflets with information about the service changes are being sent to households and you enter your postcode and find your collection dates online at www.fife.gov.uk/bincalendar There's also an option to print the calendar.

If you cannot access it online or need an alternative format, you can go to the local council customer service centre or call 03451 55 00 22.