Some farmers grow wheat, others barely, but one farmer in Crook, County Durham cultivates a field full of wheelie bins. A political debate over the collection of waste and the practice of recycling has left the bins stranded in the field, with taxpayers paying the parking bill.
The green plastic receptacles have been sitting in the field for close to a year now where they rack up a parking bill of around £1,000 a week. Until the Wear Valley District Council in County Durham can come to a decision on what to do with the bins, they are likely to remain there and keep costing the community.
The problem stems from a change of political power which occurred in the middle of implementing a Labour recycling scheme. The labour government decided to buy 30,000 twin recycling wheelie bins from Otto Environmental Systems for the new program, which would alternate weeks of waste pick up and recycling pick up every fortnight, for a cost of £560,000.
The first half of the order was delivered, then the government changed and with the Liberal Democrats in power, the plan was scrapped.
David Kingston, former chairman of community services said: “All Lib Dems and Independents voted for this.
“Shortly after, they campaigned in the local elections against the £560,000 programme that they had voted for.
“Voting for the bins has committed public money and it is a scandal that someone should play so fast and loose with public money, especially when the environment is such a pressing issue.”
Many people still believe that the twin bins are a necessity to help reduce landfill waste and promote recycling. Labour councillor for Bishop Auckland, Barbara Laurie said that the political parties needed to resolve the issue quickly to avoid squandering public money and floundering on environmental policy.
She said: “We need the twin bin system to meet central government targets. It would be a terrible shame if the authority was brought down on this point.”
According to Liberal Democrat Tommy Taylor, fortnightly waste collection is a health hazard which could attract rats.
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