BOSSES at Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) are set to give an update on controversial plans to change the borough’s bin timetable at a meeting next month.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, residents were at loggerheads with the authority after it was announced in January green non-recycling bins will be collected every three weeks instead of every fortnight.

This change was introduced to offset the cost of new food waste collection bins, which will be collected weekly.

READ MORE: How your bin collection timetable is set to change

While many residents welcomed the idea of food waste bins, more than 3,000 people signed a petition demanding green bin waste collection schedules do not change.

Blue recycling bins are still planned to be emptied every two weeks.

Bracknell News:

These changes were approved by BFC in February with planned rollout from Monday, October 1.

However, at a meeting last week, BFC director Kevin Gibbs indicated a lot of the council’s work will be pushed back by around four months due to delays caused by the pandemic.

The News asked BFC if the pandemic will affect the planned start date for the bin changes, too.

READ MORE: Food waste bins set to come to Bracknell Forest

A spokesperson for the authority said the council would be able to give an update after the executive committee meets to discuss the greening waste collection issue on Tuesday, July 14.

The changes divided residents because of fears about smells from green bins from three-week-old nappies and sanitary products.

One resident who commented on the petition wrote: “We are a family of five with both a cat and a dog. Three-weekly refuse collections will just not work for us.

Bracknell News:

“Three weeks worth of nappies, animal waste and feminine hygiene products sitting in a bin is going to be absolutely horrific.”

In a Facebook post published in April, Bracknell Forest councillor Thomas Parker answered questions from residents about the changes.

He indicated residents should double-bag nappy and sanitary products when chucking them away, and to flush away any excrement from the nappies before adding them to the green bins.

READ MORE: Petition against bin changes reaches 3,000 signatures

Bracknell Forest Council has also suggested it will look to provide a weekly absorbent hygiene product collection alongside the green bin service where possible, and large families of six or more worried about excess waste can apply for a second bin if they need it.

Bosses from the council hope introducing the new food waste collection service will lead to an improvement on the borough’s current recycling rate of 40 per cent as it will mean almost 4,000 fewer tonnes of waste is sent to landfill.