Angry backlash to uncollected bins in Dumfries and Galloway

The council has said it will not empty overflowing bins

A council's explanation of why it failed to empty some household waste from the kerbside has prompted an angry backlash from householders.

More than 1,400 comments were posted after the Dumfries and Galloway authority published its explanation on Facebook.

It said some bins had been tagged as too heavy or were overfilled.

That prompted some to describe the current service as a "shambles" and call for improved recycling facilities.

On its Facebook page, the council said: "There are two things to be mindful of, the lid should be closed and the bin mustn't be too heavy."

The local authority said it would apply red tags when a bin could not be closed.

Red tags are placed on bins which cannot be closed

It added: "The red tag is placed onto the bin to inform the customer why the bin was not emptied and how the householder can dispose of their waste."

"Our crews will white tag wheeled bins that have too much waste compacted into them."

"Too much waste in a bin makes it difficult for staff to manoeuvre safely."

'10 years behind'

The council said that it would be up to householders to deal with any uncollected waste or pay for an individual uplift.

That prompted an angry response, with one householder writing: "Maybe if you weren't 10 years behind the rest of the country with recycling, even though you have a whole fleet of recycling machinery, heavy bins wouldn't be a problem."

Another wrote: "So we can trail it 200 yards up a hill to the road end, but they can't trail it 6ft to the bin lorry?"

"If my bin lid was left slightly open and I got one of these stickers. I'd just empty the entire bin onto the street," threatened a further post.

The council recently approved a new household waste collection scheme, which is due to come in effect next year.

It comes after a previous attempt to roll out a multi-bin scheme across the region was abandoned.