EDINBURGH locals have been left divided over who is to blame after a series of recycling bins were left overflowing with festering rubbish.
The bins were spotted by an unknown resident on Tuesday on the capital’s Murdoch Terrace, who claimed that not enough bins are provided for the city.
Many locals have been left disgusted by the state of the city, with some suggesting that residents are incorrectly using bins.
However, others suggest that the mess comes as a direct result of cuts made by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Images show six large recycling bins sitting in a circle on Murdoch Terrace, with some positioned on the road.
The various recycling bins appear to be completely full of bric-a-brac and refuse, with one left open due to being so full.
Black bin bags are scattered amongst the bins, while broken pipes, tissues and vapes can be seen lying next to them.
Rotten food can be seen dropped on the ground to the right of the bins and dumped in muddy wet patches of the pavement.
Broken pots and pans, a broken clothes horse and torn, soggy cardboard boxes can also be seen buried amongst the rubbish.
The unknown resident took social media on Tuesday to share the shocking image, writing: “Murdoch Terrace needs more bins”.
The post received hundreds of likes and dozens of comments from Scots left in shock at the state and arguing over where the blame lies.
One person wrote: “The people who do this don’t seem bothered at all about living in their own rubbish, so the people who do care end up clearing up after them.
“I’ve had to clear up all the litter from burst bin bags around my area multiple times, because I don’t want the environment I live in (or any environment for that matter) to be polluted by plastic packaging and takeaway containers.”
They added: “Then this just reinforces the notion that these people never have to clean up after themselves, and someone else will inevitably do it. It’s frustrating.”
Another said: “It maybe does but people also need to start using the bins correctly.
“I’ve seen so many streets in Edinburgh where almost every resident has decided to use the same two bins over and over and over until this exact situation shown in the picture happens.
“The worst part of that is, most of these streets have five-ten areas with bins on them and if people would just walk the ten seconds to the next bin that is empty then this problem wouldn’t happen nearly so often.
“Seriously, next time you see this happen, walk down the street and open the other bins. I bet most of them will have loads of space.
“Far too often this is an issue caused by lazy idiots.”
A third commented: “It’s a similar situation in Gibson Terrace.
“I don’t know if the council did the same on Murdoch Terrace but a while ago, the council had planned to remove the big bins and replace them with the ones you show in the photo, removing a couple of parking spaces and making those spaces just for recycling.
“They had fully printed plans sent out, detailing all of this. Seemed fine.
“Instead, they reduced the total number of bin points for the street, reduced the number of general waste bins, replacing them with recycling bins and all of the general waste bins were smaller than the previous ones.
“Great job, well done.”
A fourth added: “The whole city has a huge issue with waste management. The communal bins are almost always a mess.
“The New Town ‘[seagull] proof’ bags are always a mess. The individual household bins are almost always a mess and don’t suit Edinburgh’s terraced houses at all.”
Edinburgh City Council states on their website: “If your nearest bin is full, please use another one nearby or store your waste until we can empty your bins.
“Don’t leave any waste beside the bins. Our recycling centres are open if you have lots of extra waste and would like to take it to one, it’s quick and easy to book an appointment.
“You can help avoid delays and missed bins by not parking in front of bins as it means we can’t empty them and blocking access to streets for our bin trucks.”
The City of Edinburgh Council has been approached for comment.
