AN ANGRY Val Morris-Cook has hit out at the “thoughtless idiots” who are threatening the future of recycling in South Ockendon.
The success of Thurrock Council’s three-bins collection scheme has led to vastly reduced use of the many “bring sites” across the borough, where residents can bring along their recycling and leave it safely in the containers.
The council’s waste and recycling team is working on Bring Site rationalisation and the site at Derwent Parade is on the list to be one of the remaining eight sites across the borough.
However the site in the Derry Avenue car park is under threat because of increased problems with both fly-tipping and contamination.
The tetra-pak recycling facility is being constantly contaminated with items such as as bags of concrete, dog mess and household waste.
Because of this, the tetra-pak facility is being removed.
In addition, fly-tipping at the site continues to be an issue and has increased over the past few months.
The council is working hard to catch and prosecute these people.
Cllr Morris-Cook, said: “I get so frustrated and angry when I hear about this sort of thing. The vast majority of people who use the Derry Avenue site are sensible, ordinary people with a certain amount of pride in what they do and where they live.
“I want to say it’s beyond belief — but sadly it’s not — that a few thoughtless idiots spoil things for the majority. This site is becoming a constant mess. We don’t want to get rid of it all, but we don’t want a mess either.
“We want to continue to provide this service to the residents of South Ockendon, but if the contamination and fly-tipping persists we will have to consider removing the site.”
The council will be closely monitoring the site over the next three months to see if there is any improvement.
Unfortunatley this is par for the course today, people just don’t seem to have the respect for their own surroundings anymore, litter is strewn all over the place in the borough even when bins are provided.
Maybe time for more litter wardens or use the parking wardens to issue fixed penalties for people who abuse the facillities.
I agree with you 2007, I have seen disiplineand respect go out of the window, the parents do teach there children respect for themselves or other people or there property, so it is little wonder that they throw rubbish from there cars and vans, after all they proberly cant see, what harm they are doing, I watched a women open the passengers window in her car, and throw two Tesco bags out of the window onto the road, it hit my car, when she stopped I asked her would she like the tin can and newspapers she threw from her car back, she told me to F**K off, so I put the rubbish in a roadside rubbish bin, and took her number, I reported the incident to the police, who sounded like they couldnt care less, fixed penalties wont work on these thoughtless thugs, they should be made by law to go around the district cleaning up there mess, and not get any wages for it, the deputy leader slams them as “Thoughtless Idiots” not the words I would use for them, perhaps a open large bin for general rubbish would help, then the Pikys could tot the bin without throwing, all the unwanted rubbish on the floor.