On Monday, I vented my anger with Greenstar for changing the service they're providing after I've already paid for it. Anyway, yesterday, Mr. Arthur Smith of Greenstar told me (after a lengthy conversation about recylcing, Greenstar, possible new legislation and business ethics) that I will be receiving a refund for the three weeks' general refuse collections that I will not now be receiving. That should amount to around €19, which will cover the trips to the dump that I will now have to make. Others should similarly complain.
I have no problem separating my garbage for recycling; my problem is with the manner that Greenstar chose to introduce it. If we had been offered a recycling "wheelie bin" and an additional recycling collection as seems to be the rule elsewhere, I'd have been very happy. Instead, we have to (a) store all these recyclable products somewhere for a month and, more annoyingly, (b) find someplace to store normal household refuse once our wheelie bin is full during the two week period when there is no collection or bring it to the dump myself. I told Greenstar that I would hold them responsible if there is an increase in vermin in our neighborhood when people start storing bags of garbage in their back yards for days at a time.
On a related note, I have begun to separate my garbage as required under the new Greenstar regime. Both Greenstar and Wicklow County Council told me that somewhere between 65-70% of household garbage is recyclable. We'll see. I suspect my can will be pretty close to overflowing again next Thursday, despite my efforts to separate out plastic bottles, tin cans, and newspapers.
