Slough residents have been reporting numerous problems with their rubbish since the biweekly bin collections came into force on June 26.

From missed bins to bin-type mishaps and communal bin collection failures, more and more residents have turned to a public petition to share their woes.

The switch-up has seen a new schedule adopted whereby the grey refuse bins and the red recycling bins are being collected on alternate weeks.

However, from the onset of the announcement, residents had concerns about fly-tipping, bins overflowing and unwanted pests.

Now into the third week of the change, some have been waiting over two weeks for their bins to be emptied.

John Dave S shared with the Observer that the communal bins on his road had not been collected for over two weeks.

While Annie Lynch said: "The bins should be emptied every week. 

"They already missed my bins twice, I tried to ring them up and had no response.

"What are we paying our taxes for?"

Others have sent in images of roads full of rubbish - with many considering the impact on residential neighbourhoods should nothing be changed before Christmas.

Slough resident Kawaljeet Singh, started a petition to reinstate the weekly bin collection as it “is causing distress in the community”.

The petition has since received over 3,000 signatures.

READ MORE: Thousands sign petition to reinstate weekly bin collection in Slough

In response to the public outcry, Richard West, executive director place and communities, said: “This has been a massive service change for both the council and residents and we would like to thank all those residents who have adapted to the changes so quickly, even if they don’t like them.

“Inevitably, with a huge change like this, there have been some mistakes and misunderstandings and we thank people for their patience whilst we have ironed out the wrinkles.

“However, the vast majority of residents are coping exceptionally well with the changes and are both recycling everything that can be recycled in the red bins and not overloading the grey bins.

Slough Borough Councils collects more than 40,000 household bins a week from individual properties and another 1,000 or so of the large containers from blocks of flats.

Since the change, the council has reported missing around 80 bins a day.

However, the council acknowledges that they have been dealing with some issues, mistakes and misunderstandings including people presenting the incorrect bin, people putting incorrect items in the recycling bins, errors in the data that fed the bin day ‘look-up’ website which meant a couple of roads were missing or suggested the wrong bin should be put out, people leaving bags beside the bins hoping they would also be collected or overloading the bins so the lids won’t close.

They are also aware of issues with communal bins for blocks of flats where they have been deemed to have been misused. This includes people putting household items such as carpets and furniture next to them which will not be taken.

Around 2 per cent of red recycling bins were rejected since the change because they have been contaminated with items which cannot be recycled. Including pizza boxes and plastic packaging.

Slough Borough Council will be looking at ways to help educate residents who are unsure about what can be recycled.

The council have issued the following advice:

  • Check your bin collection dates on the council's website
  • Don't overload the bins or leave rubbish on top of the bin as they will not be collected. Bins will only be collected where the lid is closed and side waste won't be collected.
  • Excess waste should be taken to the tip in Chalvey and disposed of for free. 
  • Residents can cut down on waste by buying food they know you will be eating, buying products which do not come in excessive packaging, cutting up or squashing packaging so it takes up less room and using smaller bin bags which leave less unused space in the bin.
  • Residents are reminded that the only items that can go in the red bin are glass, paper and card, plastic bottles and tins and cans. Pizza boxes and cardboard food containers cannot be recycled.
  • Dumping rubbish around domestic bins, in bin stores, around litter bins, in parks or on the street is considered flytipping and any incidents will be investigated and could result in prosecutions and fines.