MHA have teamed up with MCC to tackle one of our estates. From Sept 21 to Apr 22 over 50 cases of fly-tipping were reported and dealt with in Mardy.
Fly-tipping includes bulky items to rubbish & recycling bags being put out on the wrong days / week for collection. Inevitably bags can get ripped open, posing a potential risk to public health and impacting on MHA services.
The situation is exacerbated by the high volume of flats in a small geographical area where tenants store their rubbish and recycling within the sheds provided. Most tenants put them out for collection on the appropriate day, however, dumping rubbish outside the block has continued to be a problem.
So how have we tackled this?
- We have tried to identify those responsible for fly-tipping with mixed results. Where we have been able to identify those responsible, a joint approach with MCC has proved successful.
- Regular reminders of the correct disposal methods/days of collections are sent to hotspot areas. Joint inspections between officers have secured some success.
- A recent site visit and audit of recycling bags showed our efforts had been worthwhile, with a vast improvement in recycling rates.
These are all small steps in the right direction, however, a more radical approach is now required.
Moving forward
MHA have plans to make disposal much easier for tenants with 2 pilot schemes proposed at St Andrews Crescent, Mardy and St Helens Crescent, Abergavenny.
Officers at MHA and MCC have joined forces and come up with a plan to rethink the way rubbish is stored and collected.
In Mardy, we are considering providing 2 distinct bin areas to the rear of the blocks, which will service the 5 blocks at St Andrews Crescent and potentially one of the blocks at Llwynu Lane. This will provide secure storage for tenants’ rubbish which only they and the refuse collection can access.
This will also remove the need for residents to put rubbish out on certain days and there will be no double handling of rubbish. It will also vastly improve how the homes look as there will be no rubbish visible at the front of the blocks.
The plan is still in its infancy, we need to consult with tenants and wider stakeholders but are positive this will help provide a better, cleaner environment for our tenants to enjoy.