Students blamed for rubbish strewn across Plymouth streets week after week

By eleanor radford herald reporter

GREENBANK residents have complained to the city council after their streets were left covered in rubbish.

People who live in Clifton Street and Shaftesbury Cottages saw their streets strewn with litter this week after seagulls attacked bin bags.

But Rebecca Gutierrez and Josh Juniper said that it is a weekly occurrence in their neighbourhood.

Mother-of-one Rebecca, who lives in Shaftesbury Cottages, said: "This is the worst it's ever been but it's just appalling. I've reported this to the council and it was cleared up during the day."

The 36-year-old hospital administrator said she believes the problem is down to some residents, many of whom are students, who put out their household waste in bin bags making them an easy target for seagulls.

She added: "When I mentioned the problem of seagulls to the council, they told me to contact the Environmental office myself."

Student Josh Juniper said that the problem had been getting increasingly worse recently.

The 21-year-old said: "It's embarrassing to live in the street as it stinks and sometimes rubbish is left lying around for days on end."

He said that people didn't often use the proper canvas bins provided as they blew away in the wind and that residents didn't put rubbish out on the correct days.

Dr Anita Jellings, Dean of students at the University of Plymouth, said that she was working on putting together an information pack for students.

She said: "Recycling and good waste management are priorities for the university, and we are working in partnership with the city council to support sustainable behaviour by our students in the community. As part of this activity, information packs will be issued to student houses in the city at the beginning of the new academic year in September."

A spokesperson for Plymouth City Council said: "Many problems like this are caused by people putting their rubbish out on the wrong day, meaning bags are left out in the street for long periods of time. "Residents can check what day their rubbish is collected by visiting the 'rubbish and recycling' pages on our website at www.plymouth.gov.uk or by calling our switchboard on 668000. Rubbish should not be put out any earlier than 6.30pm the night before collection.

"Where canvas bags are provided instead of wheeled bins these should be used as they help to protect bags from being damaged or split open by animals. Residents can request a replacement wheeled bin or canvas bag by calling 668000. We now number any new bins we issue and use weighted canvas bags to help stop them being blown away – but of course it helps if people take them in at the earliest opportunity after they have been emptied."

"We have street cleaning staff in all areas of the city who check for litter on a scheduled rota and will clear up any spilt rubbish that is reported to us." Ms Gutierrez reported the rubbish in her street at 9am yesterday morning and it was cleaned up yesterday morning.