We Need to Talk About Rubbish
Issue 2 of the magazine took a deep dive into the issue of rubbish, and what we can do about it - noting that these problems are by no means unique to this neighbourhood.
The Big Back Court Community | Photo by Virginie Chabrol
Editorial
When we first asked what you wanted to read about in a Govanhill magazine so many of you brought up the issues around cleansing, recycling facilities, waste management, fly-tipping, and littering. That’s why, in this issue, we wanted to shed some light on what happens to our waste and what folk are doing to tackle the issue, both here and around the world.
There’s so much to love about these streets but many of us would like to see them kept a bit cleaner. The reasons behind the issue are complex. But what’s really clear, is that Govanhill is wrongly demonised for this issue. Rubbish is not unique to our neighbourhood. This problem is citywide.
However, many of these problems have worsened during the pandemic. It’s clear that further investment of time, money and resources are needed from Glasgow City Council. But until that happens, there are still plenty of enthusiastic groups and individuals prepared to get their hands dirty.
For local resident, Lesley Robinson: “Making a bit of time to clear some rubbish is really satisfying, especially seeing the results of your efforts immediately. It's good for your wellbeing and for the environment.” She has now set up a Friends of Govanhill Park group on Facebook, and hopes to carry out regular group litter picks when restrictions lift.
Photos by Michael Paley
Meanwhile, backcourts have become a battleground. In March 2020, the council stopped collecting food waste bins, and in some cases, waste has lain rotting in unemptied bins ever since. New service arrangements are only now being brought in. Bulk uplift was also stopped for the majority of last year resulting in fly tipping going through the roof. Photos and videos have circulated on social media showing bin areas piled high with rubbish or rats running from bins.
Chris Mitchell, Convenor for GMB Scotland, the trade union which represents around 90 per cent of the council’s refuse collection workforce has said: “There’s so much pressure on workers to deliver a service that's in crisis, and an expectation to keep levels of productivity as if you have a full complement of workers. Covid 19 has just shown how much the public needs this service... But at the end of the day we are only human… anxiety and depression have become a common problem. The workload changes every day because of cuts and a lack of resources, with no back up plan in place. It’s a case of just ‘get on with it’.”
Read more: How One Group of Govanhill Residents Transformed Their 'Big Back Court'
Some local residents have got fed up with waiting for the council to sort out their backcourts. Last year we shared the story of how residents of Craigie-Bowman-Calder-Victoria Road block in neighbouring Strathbungo were motivated by what they refer to as ‘The Great Bin Disaster of 2018’ to take action. They now meet every Sunday morning with litter pickers, bin bags, trowels, and gloves to do what they can to make improvements to their shared space.
Writing for Greater Govanhill, resident Bethany Scott said: “For me, being part of this little community has given me a sense of place and ownership that I didn’t have prior to getting to know so many of my neighbours. The lockdown is a difficult time for many, but for the residents of the Craigie-Bowman-Calder-Victoria block, we have a little patch of green that provides not only solace, but friendship and solidarity during these hard times.”
Since the magazine was published, a Govanhill Litter Pick group. was formed, with open meetings once a fortnight. Follow on Instagram for details of their next meet.
