Bin Collections

fixXxer · 26-11-2013 12:07pm #1

Ive done some searching but the most recent results are years old.

Does anyone have any recommendations to make for a domestic bin collection company, specifically in the Monkstown/Monstown Farm region?

Greyhound seem a bit too dishonest for me to trust, and the only other options are Panda or Greenstar as far as I can see. Other regions seem to have more options available (Oxigen with their Pay per Use plan for example in Dublin City).

Just wondering if Ive missed anyone of if these are all they options I have.

MACFLY2014 · 07-01-2014 12:50am

Oxigen are a disaster - they keep forgetting to collect our bins - DO NOT USE!

frash · 07-01-2014 12:52pm

Panda are fine.
Take glass in the recycling which is a bonus.

coylemj · 07-01-2014 4:44pm

frash wrote: »

Panda are fine.
Take glass in the recycling which is a bonus.

Greenstar do the same and they text me for free every Tuesday evening to say what type of collection they're doing the next day - refuse only or refuse & recycling. My collection is on Wednesdays so this Christmas & New Year (when Dec 25th and Jan 1st fell on Wednesdays), they collected on the following Saturdays instead.

frash · 07-01-2014 4:51pm

coylemj wrote: »

Greenstar do the same and they text me for free every Tuesday evening to say what type of collection they're doing the next day - refuse only or refuse & recycling. My collection is on Wednesdays so this Christmas & New Year (when Dec 25th and Jan 1st fell on Wednesdays), they collected on the following Saturdays instead.

That text service must be handy as I'm always forgetting.
Panda collected on Dec 26th (but I missed them!)

teegan2004 · 08-01-2014 9:35pm

Greenstar have a pay as you go card like topping up ur phone, you put credit on it then ur bin in lifted, and the Greenstar customer service is very good, I rang them when I missed a lift over Xmas and they sent a truck out that day and the driver took all the extra bags for me there so nice,

SURFMERCHANT DIGITAL · 06-08-2014 10:36am

Wonder what households in Dublin 2 are doing about their waste and recycling since Greyhound stopped servicing the Leeson St area. I've rung all service providers on Dublin City Council directory to no avail, none are taking on new domestic accounts.

coylemj · 06-08-2014 11:26am

SURFMERCHANT DIGITAL wrote: »

Wonder what households in Dublin 2 are doing about their waste and recycling since Greyhound stopped servicing the Leeson St area. I've rung all service providers on Dublin City Council directory to no avail, none are taking on new domestic accounts.

I think you need to post that in a Dublin CITY forum.

RainyDay · 05-01-2015 1:03pm

Any updates on the best bin service in the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown area? I got an offer of 6-months free from Greenstar today. I'm with Panda atm, and they gave me 3 months of no lift charges when I moaned at them a bit. Panda told me that Greenstar require an 18 month contract, and only collect every 2 weeks, so I'm not really that bothered to change. Greenstar's charges seem similar enough to Panda, at a quick glance.

zagmund · 05-01-2015 2:05pm

Hmm, does anyone know what companies are *actually* providing services in DLR?

I know Panda for sure (because I use them) & Greenstar because Mr Day mentioned it above and they say it here - http://www.greenstar.ie/external-forms/index.php. I tried following the link on the DLR website - http://www.dlrcoco.ie/aboutus/councildepartments/environment/findit/refusecollection/ - but it just pointed me to a DublinCoCo page - http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-services-water-waste-and-environment-waste-and-recycling/household-kerbside-collectors - which listed loads of suppliers.

My small sample of checks on those links shows companies who used to service DLR but don't serve it now.

z

qb123 · 05-01-2015 2:47pm

Looks to me like Panda have most of the market sewn up in the area, they're about the only trucks you see regularly. I think the service is good but at a (high) price. Greenstar just put up a couple of billboard ads in the area in the last week offering competitive prices, so probably worth checking out (may only collect every two weeks though, as other poster pointed out - though this would be ok with me most of the time). Guess it just becomes like other utilities where regular switching is needed to ensure best value.

coylemj · 05-01-2015 8:20pm

Don't take everything you hear from a salesman at face value - Greenstar collects general refuse ('black bin') one week and green bin and compost the next so when someone tells you that they only collect every two weeks, that only applies to one of your bins, they send at least one truck up my street every Wednesday.

They finally rolled out the (brown) compost bins for food waste in DLR last year so technically you are not allowed to put food waste into your black (it's actually purple) bin which means that you don't need a weekly collection as all that's going into it is packaging waste and things that you can't put into the green bin like pressurised cans (shaving foam, hair conditioner etc.), non-recyclable plastic and the like.

In the past few weeks I've gotten two letters from Greenstar offering me six months free if I sign and pay up now which sounds like a very suspicious and desperate plea for cash, almost a begging letter. Sign of problems we don't know about?

ted1 · 05-01-2015 8:30pm

coylemj wrote: »

Don't take everything you hear from a salesman at face value - Greenstar collects general refuse ('black bin') one week and green bin and compost the next so when someone tells you that they only collect every two weeks, that only applies to one of your bins, they send at least one truck up my street every Wednesday.

They finally rolled out the (brown) compost bins for food waste in DLR last year so technically you are not allowed to put food waste into your black (it's actually purple) bin which means that you don't need a weekly collection as all that's going into it is packaging waste and things that you can't put into the green bin like pressurised cans (shaving foam, hair conditioner etc.), non-recyclable plastic and the like.

In the past few weeks I've gotten two letters from Greenstar offering me six months free if I sign and pay up now which sounds like a very suspicious and desperate plea for cash, almost a begging letter. Sign of problems we don't know about?

Brown bins are over priced and there is no incentive to use them

As regards the 6 months being s sign, they have been in examiniship for the past year that's a clearer sign.

The sooner city bin come the better. Flat low price for the year.

coylemj · 05-01-2015 9:56pm

ted1 wrote: »

Brown bins are over priced and there is no incentive to use them

They're not overpriced, the rate per kg is lower than for general refuse. Other than that I'd say that the hassle of having three bins isn't worth it. I bought a composter from Aldi so was able to decline Greenstar's offer of a brown bin.

ted1 · 05-01-2015 10:17pm

coylemj wrote: »

They're not overpriced, the rate per kg is lower than for general refuse. Other than that I'd say that the hassle of having three bins isn't worth it. I bought a composter from Aldi so was able to decline Greenstar's offer of a brown bin.

Dint fall for the lower rate per kg

There's an additional annual fee and a lift fee ( the bin is smaller do you need to put it out more) . You need to put out roughly 2 tonnes to break even.

BorneTobyWilde · 05-01-2015 10:27pm

If you want to save money just get a brown bin for food and a recycling bin.
No such thing as waste!
Put everything in recycling bin as long as there is not food on it. All the recycling is just burnt anyway . THE SHOCK
Meh

zagmund · 05-01-2015 10:30pm

I've got a couple of years of invoices from Panda with # of lifts, weights, etc . . . at home. I'll lash them into a spreadsheet and see what comes out when I compare the prices against Greenstar and any other prices I can find.

My total for each of the last two years is ~€215, so while I might be able to shave a small amount off, I would be surprised if other companies prices would bring that down by much. I'm willing to be convinced though. I've changed electricity & gas suppliers in the last few years, so I'm certainly willing to change the bin company.

z

BorneTobyWilde · 05-01-2015 10:31pm

Only way to make it pay is eliminate the waste bin. It's easily done .

ted1 · 05-01-2015 10:56pm

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

If you want to save money just get a brown bin for food and a recycling bin.
No such thing as waste!
Put everything in recycling bin as long as there is not food on it. All the recycling is just burnt anyway . THE SHOCK
Meh

What do you do with the likes of nappies?

BorneTobyWilde · 05-01-2015 11:13pm

ted1 wrote: »

What do you do with the likes of nappies?

I was waiting for that. I guess for people with nappies there is a problem.
Not everyone has nappies though.
And for those that don't I suggest get rid of waste bin, as long as it's there it will fill. If it's not there then not possible to fill it.
Only use brown bin and put everything else in recycle bin, but no food!
For example a sheet of used tin foil would not belong in recycle bin nor would the packaging sliced ham would come in,BUT PUT IN RECYCLING BIN.
It's not a issue,like I said all recycling gets burnt. Only some picking is done on it, the rest is baled and used as fuel.
I use no waste bin, and there is no issue. If you were to put a waste bin out in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere you would come back a week later and it would be full, that's the nature of it. Just get rid .

BorneTobyWilde · 05-01-2015 11:16pm

Also breakdown and compact recycling bin and get a month out of it .

zagmund · 06-01-2015 12:41pm

CAH2011- do Greenstar charge for green (paper recycling, etc . . .) bin lifts? It's not clear from the website. I know Panda don't.

z

zagmund · 06-01-2015 12:44pm

As a matter of interest, I'm underwhelmed with the pricing structure on display from Panda - http://www.panda.ie/household/dun-laoghairerathdown/prices.html. You have to call them to get prices. How can their pricing structure be so complex that they have to talk you through it?

z

Day Lewin · 06-01-2015 5:22pm

Does the recycling really all get burnt? I am distressed to hear this.

coylemj · 06-01-2015 6:44pm

zagmund wrote: »

As a matter of interest, I'm underwhelmed with the pricing structure on display from Panda - http://www.panda.ie/household/dun-laoghairerathdown/prices.html. You have to call them to get prices. How can their pricing structure be so complex that they have to talk you through it?

Greenstar is exactly the same, absolutely no pricing on their website for household customers. I had to e-mail them to find out what my (DLR) pricing structure is - that was after I got two letters offering me two months free if I renewed early - without either letter informing me how much the renewal would cost!

zagmund · 06-01-2015 6:47pm

Greenstar have pricing here - http://www.greenstar.ie/external-forms/index.php - although of course this could change over time.

General Waste
Standing Charge: €65.00
Cost Per Lift: €3.20
Cost Per Kg: €0.26

Compost Waste
Standing Charge: €22.00
Cost Per Lift: €2.50
Cost Per Kg: €0.15

z

zagmund · 06-01-2015 8:52pm

And the figures are in. Obviously your mileage will vary, depending on how much waste you generate. My 2014 bill with Panda was €215.18. Running the same figures through with the Greenstar prices as above it came to €210.76, so a saving of just under €5. For me that's not enough to switch, but for others who generate more waste it may well be worth it.

Here's the comparative prices -
Panda
General Waste
Standing Charge 64.00
Cost Per Lift 3.20
Cost Per Kg 0.277

Compost Waste
Standing Charge 22.00
Cost Per Lift 2.56
Cost Per Kg 0.16

And for those interested in the split between fixed & variable charges -
Service 86.00
Lifts 37.76
Waste 81.42
Cleaning 10.00

215.18

Note that the Panda prices are last years and may increase in 2015, whereas the Greenstar prices are those quoted for 2015, so they *should* be reliable for the next few months anyway.

z

BorneTobyWilde · 06-01-2015 10:32pm

CAH2011 wrote: »

Greenstar does not charge for its Recycling bin and can also take glass in the bin.
Greenstar recycles all material in the recycling bin. It is the rubbish in your black/purple Refuse Bin that goes for incineration.

Not burnt eh .
Can you give a detailed description of wheelie bin to final destination for waste and recycling.?

RainyDay · 06-01-2015 10:37pm

zagmund wrote: »

And the figures are in. Obviously your mileage will vary, depending on how much waste you generate. My 2014 bill with Panda was €215.18. Running the same figures through with the Greenstar prices as above it came to €210.76, so a saving of just under €5. For me that's not enough to switch, but for others who generate more waste it may well be worth it.

Here's the comparative prices -
Panda
General Waste
Standing Charge 64.00
Cost Per Lift 3.20
Cost Per Kg 0.277

Compost Waste
Standing Charge 22.00
Cost Per Lift 2.56
Cost Per Kg 0.16

And for those interested in the split between fixed & variable charges -
Service 86.00
Lifts 37.76
Waste 81.42
Cleaning 10.00
215.18

Note that the Panda prices are last years and may increase in 2015, whereas the Greenstar prices are those quoted for 2015, so they *should* be reliable for the next few months anyway.

z

But with the Greenstar 6-months free offer, it pushes them back in front, right?

zagmund · 06-01-2015 11:29pm

RainyDay wrote: »

But with the Greenstar 6-months free offer, it pushes them back in front, right?

Ah, err, yes. I forgot about that bit. Sometimes details pass me by . . .

So 18 months of the Panda rate would be ~€322, while 18 months of the Greenstar rate would be ~€210. Now they have my attention.

Does anyone know the story with cancelling bin services? I know that with gas & electricity there's a GPRN or MPRN allocated to the property, so you can't have two providers claiming to provide the service at the same time. There's no such concept with waste collection as far as I'm aware.

Good news - according to Panda themselves "100% GUARANTEE – With Panda there is no contract, so you can move at any time". Although they don't say "without any penalty". Does anyone have anything good or bad to report on moving providers - claiming bins back, claiming there's another few months to run on the contract, 99 days notice to be given, etc . . .? My annual service charge with Panda is paid until 31 Jan this year, so right about now would be a good time to move.

z

coylemj · 06-01-2015 11:32pm

As I posted earlier, I've had two letters from Greenstar offering me a 'deal' if I renew early but the letter has zero details of what that offer entails. When I go to the Greenstar website and click on the renewal offer (expecting to get the details), it takes me straight into a page where I'm signing up for an (as yet) unknown offer.

So I held back and sent Greenstar an e-mail asking for more details, specifically asking if they were offering me 14 months for the price of 12. This is their reply....

By renewing early and opting into 2 months free your collections for October & November 2014 will be credited off your January invoice. You will also be credited the standing charge for January & February and this will also appear as a credit on your invoice.

Clear as mud then, especially as I had no lifts in Oct/Nov. Can anyone (CAH2011 maybe?) translate that offer for me please.....

Bin Collections

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