Greyhound bin collection - new charges

This week, I received a letter from Greyhound bin services (who won the contract for household bin collection from South Dublin County Council).

The letter consisted of a two separate "reminder" leaflets basically saying that a new annual service charge of 60 euro was due on 1st October. I read the leaflets several times, but was still none the wiser as to what the charges for collecting my bins would be.

The leaflets were full of obfuscation, marketing doublespeak and inane drivel - here's a sample of some of the gems:Naturally, based on the above, I assumed that the service charge of E60 per year would now cover all bin collections (black, brown, green) - happy days.

But on the second page, there was some math:

• "Black bin collection cost reduced from E10.50 to E6.20

• E6:20 charge based on 20kg average bin weight. You save E4.30 per collection"

So I got on to their customer 'care' section - and got the following clarifications:So I'm left with the following questions:

I rarely put out a black bin (one every two-three months) as I recycle what I can - this came to an annual cost of E50, so how will I save money?

I know that a significant number of my neighbours put out only one black bin a month - by my calculations, they won't save money either?

We're being actively encouraged to put out more black bins - at least two per month. How does this policy encourage households to reduce waste and/or recycle?

If I don't pay the E60 - I won't get my "free green bin collected as usual". This will just motivate me to burn my cardboard, paper and plastic. How does this promote recycling/clean environment?

As the lifters weigh the bins, those half-full will be charged E3:10. How can a customer be sure that their bin has not been filled by a passer-by at some point between leaving it out and collection?

Does anyone know of cheaper disposal options. Would a personal cartrip to a landfill twice a year be more cost-effective for me?

Are South Dublin County Council in any way still responsible for the environmental issues (eg burning rubbish) exposed by the changes to the waste collection service?

I know there are much greater problems afoot these days, but does anyone else find the Greyhound service (and their leaflets) unacceptable?

Milo[FONT=&quot]
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I got the same letter, I'm going to switch to Thorntons (no connection), who were already cheaper but not enough to make it worth the effort of switching.

I have a rental property, bins for this house are collected by Greyhound. I received the same letter and rang them to see what it was all about. As the OP has stated, there's now an annual charge plus bins will be charged by weight. I was concerned that as a landlord, I might be liable for the annual charge on these bins for the rental property.

So, off I went and rang Thorntons (who I'm with for the refuse collections in my own house) and they stated that they are just about to chance to the same billing system as Greyhound, except that the annual fee will be 50 euro. They will be writing to customers soon.

Both companies told me it's something to do with the government applying or increasing a landfill levy. So, it looks like all refuse companies are going this way.

I put my black bin out once a month, my annual refuse bill has been coming in around 120 euro for the last couple of years as I recycle so much.

These charges in no way will save me any money.

Re the rental property, I won't be paying any annual fee for someone elses refuse!

I looked at [broken link removed] and checked with them if they have an annual charge and they don't appear to have one at the moment or in the pipeline? They were very busy on Friday because so many people had received the notification from Greyhound. I rang Greyhound and found them to be totally unconcerned about people's reactions.

As far as I can see Access [broken link removed] appears to be the best option but wondering if I am missing anything?

A few questions that I would need to clarify before moving:

1. They appear to have a €40 activation fee which presumably is totally separate to any yearly fee?

2. Do they definitely not have an annual fee applying shortly to their accounts?

3. Is there a minimum time span that householders need to stay with them?

4. They appear to supply free black and green bins when starting off with them (think they have yellow lid to differentiate from other companies). Replacements are €55.00 each. Do they need to be returned if moving to another company.

Their pay-by-lift T&Cs are [broken link removed].

Are there any other important points to bear in mind with moving to new company?

Why stay with greyhound ?

Their letter was created to put a very nice spin on reality and it was so confusing that i had to switch from them.

Most bins are 30kilos and so they it will be more expensive with the change not 41% cheaper.

I looked arround and went for access waste. Even if there is a charge they are still cheaper. And they were so easy to deal with to get going only took me 3 day to be up and running.

I did get a call from someone in greyhound but it was not that they wanted to keep me as a customer it was the "others" are dearer and then it was on to the bins are their property. So not very good at dealing with a customer.

For me it does not matter who i am with but look like greyhound shot themselves in the foot with their letter that did not explain the true facts and that was totally confusing.

Lionsden.

This is so confusing.

Firstly, how do users know how much the bins weigh when collected? Is there any chance at all that the weight might be exaggerated? How do we know short of putting the flipping bin on a weighing scales before putting it out! It is a recipe for, well you know.

Anyway, I think pay by weight has been in force in DL/Rathdown for a while. Anyone from there like to comment on how it works for them?

So I pay 60E for the service. Then I pay X for each bin collection provided the Black one does not exceed Y.

OK, but 60E will become 120E next year, and the excess KGs will be 10E per kg before too long.

Ballymount dump is looking good once a month!

4th estate said:

Ballymount dump is looking good once a month!

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If a person only leaves out their black bin once every couple of months you are still hit for the standard annual charge. Fine if you are a heavy user but if not, most of your cost ends up in the standard annual set fee that you have to pay and cannot avoid. Can you share a black bin with a neighbour or family member?

For years now I have reduced my black bin waste down to one small bag per week, about the size of the wrapper you get your white bread in. I have shared a black bin with a family member. All garden cuttings are broken down over the winter and then ploughed back in to a vegetable patch.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown are insisting that I pay an annual fee for their re-cycling service even though I don't use it. I am in dispute with them over this. If I do not use their service why do I have to pay for it.

Thanks to all above for your suggestions and information re alternatives to Greyhound waste.

But I've checked with the Ballymount landfill - it's E15 for a small car full of domestic waste (though cashier can charge extra for an overloaded car). Open Suns and bank hols too.

There's also a list of recyclables that are free to dump - I never knew this and attach it here:

Materials Accepted free of charge

• Cardboard
• Waste Oil
• Paper
• Glass Bottles and Jars
• Aluminium Beverage Cans
• Plastic Bottles
• Plastic Bags (with recyclable symbol)
• Textiles
• Ink Cartridges
• Batteries (domestic and car)
• Fridges/Freezers
• Electrical Appliances
• Computer Equipment
• White Goods (Washing Machines etc)
• Fluorescent tubes
• Light bulbs

(Note that no food-contaminated plastics or cardboard accepted in free recyclable load.)

So I figure if I carefully segregate my waste and do a domestic carload (@E15) and a recyclable carload (free) every alternate month, this should be cost-effective - more hassle for me certainly, but I think it'll be worth it - them Greyhound leaflets really turned me right off!!

Lastly, I found this little chestnut on the South Dublin County Council FAQs webpage: And to think that SDCC people get paid very handsomely for such strategic decisions on behalf of the community they serve.

Helps to steel my resolve somewhat...

I am so glad to find this thread. I could not make head nor tail of the demand received from Greyhound. I have a small size bin and it goes out less than 6 times in the year. There is no way that they are 'saving me money', regardless of what spin is put on it. What annoyed me also was the way that this was presented as a 'done deed'-when in fact it came out of the blue. I do not recall any suggestion in the earlier correspondence when the waste service was taken over that a yearly charge was being introduced. Like another poster I also wondered how are we supposed to know what our bins weigh, so that we know that we are being charged correctly. Time for some research into other companies, for me.

I am considering Citybin, their annual charge is 48e, and they are cheaper per kilo than Greyhound. Does anyone use them, and if so. is the service good?

I think the answer to the overall question was that there is higher levy being applied to landfill's by the government so as a result bin charges are rising. Got a similar letter from Greenstar. But they still remain cheaper than Fingal (who I believe are going to have Greenstar or someone handle the service anyway).

Have checked with Access and they don't have a yearly charge being applied and you can opt for the lift option @ €8.00 per lift. If black bin is put out once a month they will be happy enough with that. So think I'll go with them.

Free green bin and we don't use the brown one.

Sue Ellen said:

Have checked with Access and they don't have a yearly charge being applied and you can opt for the lift option @ €8.00 per lift. If black bin is put out once a month they will be happy enough with that. So think I'll go with them.

Free green bin and we don't use the brown one.

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Just got my letter from thorntans with their new price guidelines..

50 euro annual charge and 7.50 euro black bin lift charge, but no weight charges.

Milliejones. My understanding is if you opt out of the refuse collection service completly and do as you want to do, arrange it yourself with occasional trips to the landfill you will still be charged a fee for use of the green recycling facilities. I have been told this by DunLaoghaire Rathdown County Council. In otherwords if you have a black bin service then your green bin is free but if you don't have a black bin service you are charged for the green bin plus recycling facilities.

chrisboy said:

Just got my letter from thorntans with their new price guidelines..

50 euro annual charge and 7.50 euro black bin lift charge, but no weight charges.

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+1. Got an e-mail to that effect today.

Another stealth tax.

chrisboy said:

Just got my letter from thorntans with their new price guidelines..

50 euro annual charge and 7.50 euro black bin lift charge, but no weight charges.

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So surely Access with just €8 per lift on black bin, no annual fee and no weight charges appear to be the best?

Good evening! Thanks Sue Ellen, I took a look at the Access website and signed up for the pay-by-lift option @ E8 per black bin (with E40 setup charge). However, I also can't help thinkng that there must be a catch somewhere! Suppose just have to see.

Laramie - I had been in touch with both SDCC and Greyhound. Now I didn't specifically ask them was the E60 charge "compulsory" (as this wasn't even hinted at in the Greyhound leaflets), but in their communications to me they implied that it was not - eg I asked what would happen if I didn't pay the E60 and both said that I wouldn't get any bins (including Green) collected. (Hence the DIY route that I was considering.)

However, judging by the poor standards of information I've encountered so far in this affair, it could well be a tax. Is the charge specifially stated as compulsory in Rathdown?

It appears that in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown the green services are free but only if you are with a registered black bin collector otherwise there is a charge (even if you don't leave out a green bin for collection). This seems like extortion to me?

Sue Ellen said:

So surely Access with just €8 per lift on black bin, no annual fee and no weight charges appear to be the best?

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This would appear to be the best value, but there's a 40 euro registration fee..

And then 6 months down the line, the levy fee letter will arrive..

City Bin are €48 annual service charge & €7 per lift, marginally cheaper than Thorntons