Email to Councillors 25 Feb

Monday 25 Feb 2021

Dear Hanif Raja, Norman MacLeod, Jon Molyneux and David Meikle,

I am writing to you today to bring to your attention the absolute disgrace that is the recycling bins at the junction of Terregles Ave and Kildrostan St Pollokshields.
When I moved here in 2008 there were 5 bottle banks and 3 recycling bins and they all sat neatly on the Terregles Ave side facing Darnley Rd and were emptied regularly. Over the last 4 years GCC have added more bins, there are now 6 glass bins, 7 recycling bins, and 1 clothing bin. MORE THAN ARE IN THE BIG MORRISONS CAR PARK.
My point is this site is now far too big for the residential area that it sits in, the bins now spread around the corner onto Kildrostan St facing into my home which is quite a depressing sight when I open the curtains and witness the products of last nights fly-tippers. Not only is it mainly a  residential area, it is also a Conservation area with lots of architectural interest and a rather pretty neighbourhood with nice shops and cafes almost touristy,  and these bins are ruining it for the people who live around here and who trade around her.

The bins are now becoming a nuisance for the people who live around here and are causing much misery.

1) The bins are old and tired with paint falling off some have graffiti and some don’t have lids They don’t look in uniform and are very ugly.

2) The bins cause noise pollution, our bedrooms face to the front of the building and most nights I am awakened by cars pulling up with drivers leaving their engines running and their radios blaring all the whilst they are shoving 30 wine bottles crashing into the empty echoey bins at 11.30 pm. Not only that we also have the pleasure of having all the bins emptied around 8 am on a Sunday morning including the glass ones. The bin lorries are very very noisy and because there are so many bins the lorries can be here for 15 minutes at a time with engine running and the noisy hydraulics of the bin loader working at the same time not to mention the clatter and rumbling of the bins being moved along the uneven pavement.

3) The bins cause traffic congestion and air pollution as it brings much more traffic into this street and quite a lot of the persons using the bins drive here, and often leave their engines running as they unload their refuse. Quite often the bin lorry double parks this can cause congestion at the junction and you can see drivers and bin men exchanging angry glances.

4) The bins encourage fly-tipping, yes this is now the come too spot for fly-tipping. Every other day there is someone who seems to think it is okay to leave their unwanted bulk refuse at the bins this can range from anything from half a skip worth of builders rubbish to 20 boxes of rotten fruit to the typical unwanted iron board and other household goods. People also dump regular household waste on the pavement here when their bins haven’t been emptied with things like discarded medication, rotten food waste, nappies. I believe these bins are a green light for fly-tippers and encourage it and bring it to the area.

5) The bins encourage local business’ to abuse the bins I have seen many a grocer pull up in their car to dump about 200 cardboard boxes both in the bins and on the pavement. I have witnessed many a fast food owner pull up and dump food waste yes actual food waste from their shops in the recycling bins and on the pavement. this causes much distress for my family and I in the summer months as we sometimes have as many as 20 seagulls and magpies fighting for the spoils of these bags at the wonderful hour of 5 am.

6) The bins sometimes don’t get emptied and people still come along and dump their waste on the pavement around the bins people also open the bin lids and leave their rubbish on top only partially closing the bin.
This is a very depressing sight and if there is a wind the waste ends up blown all over the neighbourhood making for an even more depressing sight.

7) Please don’t say that the extra bins put here are to meet the demand of the neighbourhood as that is just not true as stated before more people drive here to use the facilities than those that walk here I know because I have  lived  here for 13 years just 20 meters from it and I see it and hear it daily. This is nothing more than a liberty taken by GCC  on the compliant nature of the residents that live around here. No where on the Southside or anywhere else has this amount of bins in the one place as we do here. There are plenty of other suitable sites for these bins on the Southside nearby. Darnley Rd for instance Just near the Hutchie playing-fields  no one is looking at them from there and easy parking for the bin men Nithsdale Rd at the junction of Shields Rd. Sainsburys sell a lot of produce around here I don’t see any recycling bins outside their premises and they have a car park, the entrance to Queens Park on Pollokshaws Rd has plenty of space to accommodate bins.

I have photographic and video evidence of all of the matters posted above should you wish to see it and I will try and forward this to you some how although I should warn you that is not for the faint of heart.
Also should you intend coming for an inspection it might be an idea not to inform the recycling dept. before hand as all they do is send a team out to clean the site up before the inspection is due so they can pretend to themselves and you that everything is okay when it is clearly not.

It is my conclusion that that GCC should remove these bins from here now as not only are they causing a nuisance and distress to the people living around here but I believe they are a public health risk as they do attract vermin to the area, but I also believe this site will have an effect on the sale-ability of my home and the desire for someone to live here should I decide to sell.

I look forward to your response and your thoughts on what you intend to do about this blight on the area.
Yours sincerely,