Fire warning over cut in rubbish pick-ups

Published on Tuesday 30 October 2007 01:16

COUNCILS that only collect bins every two weeks risk encouraging vandals to set fire to rubbish, firefighters warned yesterday.

The controversial plan to only collect general rubbish every other week has been brought in by around a third of Scottish councils to encourage recycling.

However, opponents say the scheme is not only unsightly but could also spread disease. There are also claims it is leading to increased fly-tipping.

The Chief Fire Officers Association of Scotland (CFOAS) claims leaving rubbish lying around will encourage arsonists, increasing the strain on firefighters. "We can no longer accept the high levels of fire-setting and fire vandalism within communities and the associated waste of public money, health and environmental risks," CFOAS said.

Rescue services attend 20,000 call-outs to rubbish blazes a year in Scotland - at a cost of 40 million. Brian Sweeney, Strathclyde's chief fire officer, said: "Fire-setting is an opportunistic, low-level crime mainly carried out by young people.

"Overflowing bins and rubbish skips ... together with illegal dumping of waste materials is providing a ready source of combustible materials and, as a result, fire vandalism is on the increase."

A recent report by Audit Scotland said the fortnightly collections would increase recycling.