RESIDENTS of the Mount Estate in Milford Haven are voicing their frustrations and concerns as the area has turned into what they describe as ‘a landfill’. The disarray follows the Pembrokeshire County Council’s implementation of a new recycling scheme, which, according to locals, is the main cause of the problem. Residents have said that the scheme is confusion, they lack information, and there is not sufficient to storage for black bag waste whilst it is waiting for be collected.

Photographs taken on July 18, depict piles of bin bags and rubbish strewn across the estate, a shocking sight that residents say has become the norm. The council’s initiative aimed to align the estate’s waste management with the rest of the county. However, the removal of wheelie bins, which previously protected waste from rats and seagulls, and the introduction of black bag collections every three weeks have led to severe waste accumulation.

One resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The Pembrokeshire Herald that those living in blocks of flats were instructed by the council to leave their bin bags on the road, resulting in widespread littering. “It’s a recipe for disaster,” the resident lamented.

Kat Cullen, writing on Facebook, expressed her frustration, stating, “Unfortunately this is nothing new. It’s been like this for years but 10 times worse since the new recycling scheme. It’s just not working. It’s turning the estate into a landfill.”

Brian Phillips, also on social media, remarked: “If all residents participated in the recycling scheme it wouldn’t be like this.” However, he acknowledged the council’s historical hesitancy to include the Mount Estate in such schemes due to past littering issues.

Former resident Dave Fairbairn did not mince words, calling the estate a “stinking hovel” that has seen little to no improvement over the years. Marty Jones added, “There are some lovely people living there, ruined by a minority of wasters. Such a shame.”

Another resident Billy Roberts acknowledged the good intentions behind the recycling scheme. However, he pointed out its impracticality for the Mount Estate, suggesting a more centralised collection system could be more effective.

The situation has also highlighted issues with communication and information dissemination. Christine Russell, who lives in one of the new houses, said: “It doesn’t help matters that the council website isn’t up to date as to what bags go out and when. We had to ask the bin men.”

Despite the clear evidence of widespread non-compliance and mismanagement, some residents believe that better adherence to recycling guidelines could mitigate the problem.

Wendy Goldsworthy criticised the current system, highlighting the challenges faced by those without adequate storage space for the new recycling bags. “When will we follow schemes that actually work?” she said.

The Mount Estate’s current predicament serves as a stark reminder of the complexities involved in municipal waste management and the necessity for well-considered, adaptable solutions that address the unique needs of different communities.

Last year, a county councillor questioned the fairness of the waste recycling system, as some housing estates and flats were subject to the same conditions as the rest of the county.

In late 2019, Pembrokeshire introduced a colour-coded kerbside waste recycling system, with coloured different bags for different types of waste. However, some flats and estates in the county were initially exempt from the new, more complicated system, sticking to the previous options of orange recycling bags and black/grey normal waste bags.

In a submitted question to council, Cllr Carey said: “Since the introduction of the kerbside collection policy, the majority of Pembrokeshire residents have done their part to fulfil their end of the deal.

“As far as I am aware, Mount Estate is not required to put the same effort into their recycling as the rest of the county”, Cllr Carey said.

The Local Authority have now obviously made efforts to change that, but will it work?

Pembrokeshire has been named as the best recycling county in the whole of Wales.

A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman, said: “As part of the roll-out of the final phases of the kerbside sort recycling scheme in Pembrokeshire, the Mount Estate was moved onto the Kerbside Sort Recycling system in March 2024.

“Each household was provided with the appropriate recycling containers, calendars of collections and literature surrounding the system in addition to a campaign of educational door knocking visits by our Environment Advisors to support households with the changes.

“A large number of properties at the Mount Estate, as per the rest of Pembrokeshire, are presenting their waste and recycling correctly which has resulted in Pembrokeshire being one of the top performing recycling authorities in Wales. This is something we are extremely proud of and thankful for.

“However as the image taken the day before collections show there are some isolated areas which are not fully participating in the recycling scheme at present.

“We are continuing to work with the residents and the housing team surrounding their waste and recycling provisions and to ensure appropriate storage facilities are in place for households.

“We are also taking appropriate action when evidence of fly tipping or non-compliance is found.”