BIN men are being verbally abused and even pushed by residents who are not happy with the new waste system, a resident has warned.

Keen recycler Elaine Anderson said she is fed up of seeing some residents ignoring the new waste and recycling rules, and feels a more positive approach is needed.

Homeowners are allowed three black bags worth of rubbish, which will be collected every two weeks. Food waste, glass and plastics are collected separately.

However Mrs Anderson, of Queen Elizabeth Way, said some residents are abusing the system.

She said: “People cannot be bothered, it’s a pain recycling but how long does it take?

“Where I live people are really trying to get it right and they will go out and ask the guys if they are doing it right, but some people are bullying the council.”

She said she has heard of bin men hurting themselves on broken glass when residents are not recycling their rubbish properly.

She added: “People start shouting at them, saying there’s maggots in the bags.

“If they recycled properly there wouldn’t be maggots, we need to educate people as to why we need to recycle.

“I just think it’s awful.”

She said it was important to highlight the benefits of recycling locally, such as using the compost made through recycling food waste on allotments in the town.

Mrs Anderson added: “We need to stop abusing people who are just doing their jobs.

There are some lovely people who come out and offer the men a drink but there’s others who talk to them like dirt.

“The council is trying to achieve something, we just need to make people aware as some people put bags out with everything in.

“They need to see the positive side to recycling.”