On Sat, 3 Dec 2005 10:11:17 +0000 (UTC), "lynd"
wrote:

Has anyone else had the experience of a local council getting sh*tty because
you have asked them to take away a fridge? They are charging me £20 anyway,
but thats not the issue, I was made to feel really guilty for daring to get
rid of my old appliance and get a new one at all!

IME, council waste departments seem to attract two main types of
people:

- Those who are managing an outsource contractor and taking phone
calls from customers complaining about bins not being emptied etc. I
had occasion to have a "discussion" with one of these some while ago
when the collection policy was changed from one of collecting bins at
the house to bins must be at edge of property. I have quite a long
drive and it was a PITA. Their opening line was that this was a
health and safety issue and that the operatives weren't insured to go
on people's property. I didn't buy it. Eventually I spoke to the
manager who admitted that it was a time and cost issue in their
contract negotiation. Fine. I don't have a problem with that - they
could have simply told the truth in the first place.

- The socialist jobsworths on a crusade and who are unemployable
anywhere else. Poorly paid and realising they control a resource that
you want, they will play it for all it's worth. There is a very
simple solution to this nonsense. Tell them that they are not
empowered by their employer to make social or any other judgments and
are there to implement the service that their employer says that they
provide. Further tell them that you expect that to be provided
expeditiously, you will pay the defined charge and that is that.
Threaten to escalate the issue if they don't co-operate. The do it
anyway. Write to the chief executive of the council and your
councillor. These people need to be weeded out of these positions.





I heard of recycling but this is silly.

Yes of course it is.


In 1977 I brought my fridge. Its now knackered. Doesnt cool and needs to be
replaced. So I replaced it. Council officer told me I should not have
replaced it - I am an ecologically unfriendly person for getting rid of an
old appliance!

What am I supposed to do?

You use the procedure that the council has to provide and you pay for
it. That's it.





Ditto experience when I went to the amenity tip/ recycling tip with my old
microwave ( bought 1981). Old microwave has a hole in it. It is rusted
through. I got a new one. They told me I should not be dumping my old one
because I was making waste! Unfortunately I took my old knackered Vax (
bought 1987) at the same time. The motor is knackered and it doesnt suck.
Apparently I am supposed to repair it ( I was told by the repair people it
was not economic to do so!).

These places are another magnet for jobsworths, although most at these
places are into selling stuff on the side. The technique is to let
them have their say, ignore it completely and then ask where you put
the item, thanking them for their co-operation.




We have got to the point now where you are not allowed to throw anything
away. You are not allowed to burn anything. You are not allowed to dump
anything. Should I rename my house Steptoes Backyard?

So what am I supposed to do? Not replace old appliances? Go without
altogether and live a life of Victorian * luxury* with no mod cons?


I think that the answer is simple:

- Recycle when it is convenient and economically sensible to do so.

- Make product choices based on ecological considerations provided
that again they are economically sensible and also products are fit
for purpose.

- Expect to pay for disposal. Having said that, increasingly
manufacturers will be expected to play a part in facilitating or
paying for that. Of course, the customer will pay in the end.


--

..andy