Minutes

Councillor M. Evans asked:

I understand that the Council only collects medical waste every other week and we do not provide residents with appropriate containers to store it. This seems highly inappropriate, potentially embarrassing and unhygienic.

Below is the advice we currently give people. Will the Cabinet Member review this current scheme to ensure that residents across the city can retain their dignity?

Residents can put out as many hygiene bags as they need to on the same week as their refuse bin.

We are unable to provide an additional receptacle to hold the bags however; residents can place the bags in a conveniently sized box or container (not supplied by NCC) and present this next to their refuse wheelie bin. The bags need to be easily accessible for the crew to remove so therefore the box/container should not have a lid. If a resident is intending to this, we just ask to be notified so we can ensure the collection team know where to locate the bags.

Alternatively, residents can present the bags just inside their front garden (e.g. inside the gate or just behind the wall), so that they are out of public sight. Again, the bags need to be easily accessible for the crew to remove.

Councillor Jeavons responded:

Collection of nappies etc. waste on a fortnightly basis and using plastic bags is standard practice in the waste industry and most of the other Welsh Local Authorities that provide a nappy collection follow the same system, namely:

Bridgend, Torfaen, Anglesey, Cardiff, RCT, Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Caerphilly, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire.

As such, the system is tested and proven, and no relevant issues arise on standard conditions.

Some residents have raised concerns about feeling exposed due to the type of waste they dispose of; this is a voluntary service that people opt in to have.

However, to try to address their concerns, the Council is now ordering bags of a darker yellow colour and allows those who to wish do so, to use additional containers to keep their yellow bags. The Council cannot provide these containers though.