Christmas celebrations are a ‘rat’s dream’ in Wath

Two skips at the recycling drop-off spot off Biscay Way in Wath were overflowing with waste and surrounded by piles up to three feet high.

Mingled in with the cardboard boxes, Christmas gift bags and other wrapping were non-recyclable waste including an empty protein shake powder tub and even a suitcase.

Social media users branded the eyesore sight (pictured) “a rat’s dream”.

While some called people leaving the rubbish “idle” and accused them of fly-tipping, one resident suggested the recycling skips had already needed emptying before Christmas and others said such a problem would not have occurred if the borough council still carried out weekly bin collections.

Wath councillor Alan Atkin pointed out the borough council’s four main recycling centres were open from Tuesday onwards.

Last Christmas, a similar tide of recycled cardboard, paper and other rubbish was blown around the nearby street, causing a hazard to motorists and leaving council workers with a major clean-up job.

And Facebook commenter Kay Nordon said this week: “I hope there is no wind storm before they collect it.”

Rotherham Borough Council this week urged residents to have a “green” Christmas and recycle where possible.

Real Christmas trees can be taken to any of the council’s household waste recycling centres to be turned into compost.

Paper and card packaging can be added to your blue bag, along with your normal paper, card and all those festive TV guides, and larger cardboard folded and left under your blue bag.

Christmas cards can be recycled to help charities and good causes, with collection points at supermarkets such as Morrisons at Bramley or Cortonwood and large shops such as Marks and Spencer.

The council’s Cabinet Member for waste, roads and community safety, Cllr Emma Hoddinott, said: “We all know the festive season creates lots of additional waste, so we ask you to work with us, and ensure as much can be recycled as possible by using your blue bag and blue box to recycle.”

The council's waste officer, Paul Hutchinson, said extra crews had been put on to collect from the “bring sites”, and all household waste recycling centres would be open daily over the Christmas and New Year period.

He appealed for residents to use them when the bring banks were full.

Rubbish was collected from the Wath site due to be tackled on Wednesday and extra collections have been arranged for most of the others, he said.

Mr Hutchinson added: “We have also placed notices on the bring banks asking people not to leave rubbish on the floor and to take any excess waste to the HWRC sites when the banks are full, all of which are open every working day between Christmas and New Year, except New Year’s Day.”

Residents will have their normal “alternate weekly” bin collection”, with the black bin being collected in one week and the blue box and bag collected on the alternate week of the fortnight.

Details of which bin will be collected is at www.rotherham.gov.uk/bincollections, where you can search by postcode.