I’D LIKE to take this opportunity to thank our refuse teams for continuing to provide a vital service throughout the pandemic in such trying circumstances.

I was personally both concerned and saddened to hear that a number of team members have suffered verbal and online abuse following a recent story about how the council deals with contaminated waste at the seafront.

This abuse is completely unacceptable.

No member of staff should be subject to this malice while carrying out their work duties. It will not be tolerated.

A number of unpleasant and unacceptable comments were brought to the attention of the Bournemouth Echo –at the time, and I would like to thank you for removing those so quickly.

I am hugely grateful to our refuse crews for the work that they do, and I know that many residents in our area recognise and value the hard work put in in order to make Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole one of the best performing areas in the country for recycling.

For example, did you know, we diverted 86.13 per cent of all waste produced away from landfill in our first year as BCP Council?

We are immensely proud of this recycling rate, and, as was made clear in the article, I would like to clarify, the only time recycling is emptied with general waste is when it has become heavily contaminated, when the advice featured on the public bins has not been followed by those using them. We will continue to appeal to everyone across the BCP area to use the correct bin for the correct waste.

Finally, a plea to those out and about for their daily exercise. Please help our crews to do the best job they can, by following the guidance on the bins. And if you see our crews out and about, give them a wave and thumbs up.

Kate Ryan

Corporate Director for Community and Environment, BCP Council