BINS were left to overflow at a city centre flat block after collections were ‘missed’ for weeks amid safety concerns.
The backcourt of the building, which is located on Buccleuch Street in Garnethill, was covered in waste from packed bins that had not been emptied since the end of April.
These were eventually emptied on Thursday morning after the Glasgow Times stepped in.
Bill Beckett has lived at the property for more than 20 years and claims this is the first time there have been issues with taking the rubbish away.
He said: “The bin guys came on April 26 and did everyone else’s but left ours alone. I was hoping they might have turned up on the next collection day at the start of May, but they didn’t.
“I filled out a missed bin collection form, but it said it could take up to seven days. I couldn’t wait the seven days because the bins were so full.
“I phoned up the cleansing department in Yorkhill to uplift the waste, and they informed me they don’t do the bins anymore, it’s all dealt with by Shieldhall.
“So, I phoned Shieldhall, but they said they don’t cover this area. We got to the stage that we had nowhere to put our general waste, food waste, or any kind of rubbish.”
READ NEXT: 'Unbearable': Kirkintilloch OAP's bins left ‘overflowing’
A Glasgow City Council spokesperson confirmed that the reason behind the missed collections is ‘multiple safety issues’ with the lane and stairwells behind the property.
Large bins will now be put at the front of properties in this street for residents to use.
From May 22, these will be collected every four days for general waste and eight days for recycling.
The council say 40 addresses are affected by the issue and that the revised arrangements will remain in place until the safety issues in the lane have been resolved.
They said: “Multiple safety issues have been identified with Buccleuch Lane and the stairwells our staff use to access bin courts at this location.
“A plan is being put in place that will ensure regular, routine bin collections are maintained, and this will be communicated to residents and local representatives as soon as possible.
“The health and safety of our staff is absolutely paramount. All repairs to private property are a matter for the owners of that property.”
Images showed bin bags, food waste, and containers scattered across the communal garden area of the property.
Bill, who is also the chair of Garnethill Neighbourhood Watch, claims that this is due to seagulls and rats ripping the bags open.
He went on to add that the waste issue has uncovered further concerns, including the reported recent discovery of more than ten uncapped needles lying on the stairs leading to the bin area.
READ NEXT: Paisley has an e-bike 'nuisance' problem, more has to be done
Bill added: “We have roughly about 20 bins, the lids were up, they were fully packed, and rubbish was scattered all over the garden, the back stairs, and the bin area.
“We’ve got signs of rats. You could see the nibble marks on the bags that were ripped open. I’ve also seen seagulls in the back ripping the bags apart.
“I’ve got no idea why they didn’t collect the bins. I happened to speak to one of the private waste management guys who covers this area.
“He said he was called out about a week and a half ago, as someone reported syringes on the back stairs.
“He showed me a picture of about 14 uncapped needles. As a precaution, I contacted police and explained the circumstances.
“To nip this in the bud, I asked if we could get extra patrols in the back lane in the evenings and at night to try and counter this.
“It’s a health issue. Rats are roaming about, and this warm weather is only going to make it worse.”
Martin Rhodes, MP for Glasgow North, branded the situation as “unacceptable”.
He said: “The situation at Buccleuch Street is unacceptable and poses serious public health concerns.
"It is entirely inadequate for residents to be passed from one department to another without clear accountability.
“Glasgow’s cleansing workforce operates under challenging conditions and is being let down by poor decisions by management and chronic underfunding.
“The £13 million spent by the council on agency staff over the past two years could have been invested in a properly supported, directly employed workforce.
“I will continue to press the council for action and accountability and seek assurances that residents across Glasgow North are not left in similar circumstances.”
Share