Hot rubbish hell stemming from waste depot torments Glasgow residents with flies and stink

Tormented Germiston locals say they are “at tipping point” as some can’t even hang their washing out without their clothes “humming of rotten rubbish”. 

The problem at Blochairn Depot arises every summer, but residents say this year is particularly bad due to the current climate. 

Vivienne McPherson, who lives on the same road as the waste centre, said: “We have had this for years now with the flies, rats and stench. 

“We are at our wits’ end – it has been going on for too long. They keep blaming it on the food and fish market but I have been here for 40 years and when I moved in, there was nothing like this before.

“The problem with the flies and rats has never been worse and the smell is absolutely putrid. It is like rotting food that has been left in a bin for weeks-on-end. 

“Even when you leave your windows open you will smell it – you can’t escape it.”

The Glasgow Times understands that the depot was originally built to take in recyclable materials, however, the council has recently been using it for food and garden waste. 

Furied residents are calling on the local authority to take the rubbish elsewhere, while others asked for the centre to be moved to a non-residential area. 

“The trucks are going in and out of the depot all day long so you are getting the smell constantly, there is no breaks. It is disgusting”, said Vivienne. 

“The flies are terrible – I put a sticker up yesterday by my window in the kitchen and today, there are 40 flies stuck to it already and that is only my kitchen, I have the stickers up in most rooms. 

“You can even see them outside your window when it is closed.”

Christene Sweeney said: “The smell is rancid, it is just completely rank. You walk up the street and it is just horrendous, you just want it to go away. It is so embarrassing if you have guests.

“We have been putting up with years and the council needs to take action, this isn’t a healthy way of living.”

Helen McCartney, who also lives on the same road as the depot, added: “Every year the warm weather starts and the smell comes back, there are no coincidences that there is a depot just down the road from us. 

“Even if you hang our your washing, you end up having to re-wash it because all your clothes are left humming of rotten rubbish.

“It is such an amazing area, it is just this that is letting it down. We have all been here for years and years.”

This week, temperatures have reached as high as 27 degrees with Glasgow experiencing its hottest day of the year yesterday. 

Resident John Reuston said: “My man just had a stroke recently and he doesn’t want to open the windows because it just adds to more stress with the flies flooding in.

“In this heat, like everyone else, we need to open our windows. It is absolutely roasting. 

“The problem is getting worse and worse and this year is by far tipping point.”

“The staff at the depot obviously can’t control what is coming in to them, so it is not their fault but why is food waste going in there in the first place, so close to homes and a residential area?”

Despite the ongoing issue, locals have collectively decided it is not enough to drive them away from the area. 

Vivienne said: “I love where I stay and I’d never move but this is unbearable. Why should we have to move because of this? 

“We are all on the same boat – we are completely sick and tired of this every summer year in, year out.”

Helen added: “There are so many other places that they could put a depot that isn’t 100 yards away from housing and residential areas.

“I wouldn’t move, but it might cause somebody else to want out who hasn’t been here for very long.”

Councillior Elaine McDougall

Local Labour councillor Eliane McDougall said she was "inundated" with complaints from her constituents. 

She said: "I have been inundated with concerns from my constituents over the smell, flies and use of the depot.

“The use of the centre has been changed and it can’t take the capacity because of the collections being moved from two-weekly to three-weekly.

“The sooner they get investment in to help my constituents the better, the depot is requiring around £1 million in investment.

“I know they are trying everything in their power to mitigate the circumstances but it is not working.

“This year has been the worst for the flies and stink yet. The cuts to the cleansing service have been horrendous and this is how locals end up suffering from them.

“If you move from a two-weekly collection to a three-weekly, of course there are going to be problems.”

Chris Mitchell, GMB Convenor

Meanwhile, the GMB - a union that represents cleansing staff - has raised concerns for the jobs of those at the depot.

Chris Mitchell, Convenor for Refuse and Cleansing, said: “Yesterday a call was made by a local housing officer to ask for legal advice on closure on the waste recycling plant at Blochairn because of rats and flies affecting the local area. 

“This will no doubt put jobs at risk and as a trade union, we have real concerns. We want the council to put investment in the plant and start looking at other solutions regarding the food waste being placed in a plant which was made only for recycling. 

“Another problem we are seeing is the amount of contaminated waste coming in because of the decision to move to the three-weekly collections and there is still no enforcement policy or a education programme in place to help struggling families with recycling. The plant needs new equipment to cope with this. 

“The workforce up at the plant have did a fantastic job in difficult circumstances.”

Glasgow City Council has insisted the depot is operating within full terms of its Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) license - meaning it can legally process both recyclable materials and food and garden waste. 

A spokesman said: “The Blochairn recycling facility is fully compliant with the terms of its SEPA licence and we do not believe there is any credible legal threat to its on-going operation.

“The range of waste that is processed at the facility is also entirely within the terms of our licence and any waste at the depot is manged appropriately.

“We do take steps to minimise the effect of any pests at the site and the number of flies within the site was well within acceptable limits, both by our own measurements and those conducted by SEPA.

“Local community representatives have been invited on to the site to see for themselves how the facility operates and it has been remarked upon that high standards of waste management are in place at Blochairn.”