One of the political hot-potatoes in the UK at the moment is the issue of regular rubbish collections by the local councils. For years most councils have collected weekly, yet in a cost saving exercise many are now moving to a fortnightly collection service – not surprisingly local people are none too happy. Visions of rats roaming the streets evoke strong responses.
Yet for one enterprising couple in North Yorkshire this increasingly media driven issue is an opportunity. Chris and Kate Whyatt have turned their own anger at their local council’s decision into a new business.
Where once there was private healthcare, private education and private security now the people of North Yorkshire can now arrange their own private weekly rubbish collection.
‘Bin & Gone’ was launched quietly this week with two secondhand bin lorries. Yet already this fledgling business has signed up 200 customers each paying £90 a year . The web site www.emptymybin.com is receiving 5000 hits a day.
And Chris and Kate are promising once 700 households have registered an interest in a particular area, then collections will start there as well. And of course, the service could be expanded to include commercial waste and other items.
In this increasingly enviromentally conscious world, waste disposal is big business. And that includes what we all leave on our doorstep.
This enterprising couple look onto a winner. As my grandfather used to say “where there’s muck there’s brass!”
Steptoe and Son would have been proud.
