OAP told to 'double bag' medical waste amid new bin timetable

Jan 02, 2024

A PENSIONER has raised fears of “embarrassment” caused by the smell of her husband’s waste following the approval of a three-weekly bin timetable.

West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) suggested Anne McBeth “double bag and seal the contents” of the biomedical refuse sacks she uses when asked if there would be any exceptions to the bin changes that will come into force in 2024.

Alongside carers, Anne, 75, has been looking after her husband Andy for five years after a botched operation left him paralysed from the waist down.

The 70-year-old has been in and out of hospital since March and can no longer bear any weight, leaving him bed-ridden for the last few weeks.

Now, after reading in the Clydebank Post the local authority’s plans to move refuse collection from fortnightly to every three weeks, worried Anne explained she doesn’t know where to turn to get any help with her situation.

Anne revealed the smell from the bins after the disposal of the clinical waste is already “unbearable” at the current two-weekly frequency and admitted they previously had maggots residing in their wheelie bin because of it.

“The smell is so bad, it’s embarrassing,” she added.

“There must be lots of people in the same position as us.”

The decision to move the bin collection frequency to every three weeks has been met with fury by some residents.

Concerns of an increase in fly-tipping, overfilled bins and vermin have been raised with the Post with some calling on the Labour administration to rethink its decision.

WDC did not confirm if there will be any exceptions regarding their incoming timetable despite Ms McBeth's situation.

A spokesperson said: “Residents with clinical waste should ensure they double bag and seal the content and place this in their general waste bin.

“If the content is sealed correctly, this will prevent odour from the waste.”

But this was rejected by Anne, a born and bred Bankie, who believes she has been abandoned in her hour of need by those who should be helping her and her husband.

She finished: “We pay council tax. You deserve to be looked after in your older age and they should be doing something for you.

“Life is very, very difficult for him so obviously in turn it means it is very difficult for me as well.

“I am his carer, but I don’t think of myself as that, I look at it as I am looking after my husband.”

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