Stuck in lockdown, there has never been a better time for many of us to get on with some DIY than now. It’s a great way of passing the time productively, but inevitably all our constructing, demolition, decorating and gardening produces waste.
Our bin men locally haven’t missed a collection come rain or shine and we are so lucky (see appreciative photo) that they just seem to get on with it every week – but the additional waste we are creating in lockdown needs to go somewhere.
The good news is that the government has announced they are relaxing lockdown as far as many council ‘tips’ (household recycling centres, if you want to be politically correct) are concerned and allowing them to reopen because, if they don’t, they will have another epidemic to deal with – and which is already in full flow, fly tipping.
The bad news as far as we locals are concerned is that our ‘tip’ in Bexhill is not (yet) one of the chosen few allowed to reopen. Before bothering the ‘man in the fluorescent jacket at Bexhill’ I checked the council website to see what’s what – and the opening times were there in black and white.
However a disclaimer confirmed they would be subject to change due to the virus. For clarification I called them today to ask if they were open, they weren’t, and when I asked when they thought this might change, “no idea” was the frustrated response.
This message posted on their website says it all.
“Latest:
Our household waste recycling sites are closed until further notice. Borough councils are doing their very best to collect your waste and recycling”
The ugly truth is that across the county fly tipping is becoming a real issue, a health hazard and an eyesore. No rational person would condone fly tipping but, you have to ask, would it reduce if the tips re-opened, would less people dump their rubbish indiscriminately if getting rid of it were easier and cheaper?
Walking through the market car park today I photographed an armchair dumped near the entrance (main photo), small beer compared to elsewhere in the country where the situation is far worse, as these pictures show. If we want to reduce fly tipping, why not relax the lockdown and allow all ‘tips’ to reopen now ? If not, things will undoubtedly get worse and, without making light of the situation, if things don’t change soon, this could be the tip of the iceberg.
Image Credits: Nick Forman , Seana Lanigan , Rye News library , Chichester Council .