Council refuses to collect recycling bin... because it contained six melon pips

Published 14th Apr 2010

Dustmen refused to collect a full recycling bin from a couple's house because it was 'contaminated' by six food pips.

Melvyn Sylvester was amazed to discover his bin had been left untouched outside his home in Andover, Hampshire, at the weekend.

Binmen had left a sticker on it stating they could not accept the bin as it contained food and was therefore contaminated.

Mr Sylvester, 54, said the bin contained no food except for six small pips sitting on a pizza box.

'I was outraged they refused to make our recycled rubbish because of six pips, it was pathetic,' he said.

The window fitter said the pips must have been put in the bin by a passerby.

'I think they must have come from a melon or grapefruit. We do no eat that. Anybody can go by and put things in your bins.'

After his wife Michelle contacted the Test Valley Borough Council, the dustmen arranged a special collection to remove the rubbish - minus the six pips.

'It's a bit of a joke, we had a laugh with the neighbours when we opened the bin and saw there was no food in there,' Mr Sylvester said.

Initially the council claimed the bin had not been emptied because it contained plastic carrier bags which were not recyclable.

But it then stated the bin contained pizza - a claim Mr Sylvester denies.

'There was no pizza in the packet. It was empty,' he said.

A council spokesman said: 'The council would wish to emphasis that the collection crew followed guidance appropriately and left a bin tag indicating the reason that the bin had not been emptied on that occasion.'

She said the bin was emptied after it was confirmed it did not contain food.

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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