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Pictures: Impact of bin strikes in Dundee, Perth and Angus laid bare as rubbish piled on streets

By Ben MacDonald and Emma Duncan

August 29 2022, 6:01pm

Huge piles of rubbish dumped at Riverside recycling centre in Dundee. Image: Paul Reid.

Huge piles of rubbish have built up across some parts of Tayside as the bin strikes take their toll on the region.

Refuse workers from Dundee and Angus have been taking part in industrial action since Wednesday, with their counterparts in Perth and Kinross joining on Friday.

It has led to massive piles of waste being left at recycling points and street bins overflowing.

Our photographers and reporters have been checking how the strikes are affecting the region.

Dundee

No bins have been collected from outside homes since last Wednesday and street bins have not been tended to.

All of the city’s recycling centres are also shut for the duration of the strike action.

As a result, some people have taken their rubbish to recycling points in an attempt to reduce how much waste they are keeping at home.

Business owners branded Dundee city centre an “eyesore” at the weekend as litter began to pile up on the streets.

There have also been fears about the rubbish attracting vermin.

Seagulls have been spotted picking through the litter.

Rubbish piled high at a recycling point outside the Tesco Kingsway store in Dundee.

The scale of rubbish left at the Tesco recycling point.

Hundreds of items left dumped at the gates of the Baldovie recycling centre.

Mattresses are among the items left at Baldovie.

The scene at Riverside. Image: Paul Reid.

Bags of waste left at a recycling point at Dudhope Park. Image: Paul Reid.

Bin bags left at a bottle recycling point on Helmsdale Avenue.

Eurobins close to overflowing on the city’s Tullideph Road.

A seagull enjoying the leftover waste on Dundee’s Sandeman Street.

Litter at Broughty Ferry harbour. Image: Paul Reid.

Perth

Bags of rubbish have begun to pile up in Perth, with several Eurobins and recycling points overflowing.

However, the situation is not as bad in the Fair City as in Dundee, with the local authority’s workers only joining the strike action on Friday.

Perth and Kinross Council has also been running a skeleton collection service over the last few days while several of the region’s recycling centres have remained open.

Bins overflowing outside Perth Concert Hall. Image: Phil Hannah.

An overflowing bin at Kinnoull Causeway, Perth.

Eurobins are full on Perth High Street. Image: Phil Hannah.

Waste dumped near Perth Theatre. Image: Phil Hannah.

Street bins in Perth city centre are full, but have not created as much mess as Dundee.

Angus

Similar to Perth, Angus Council says it is emptying some bins during the strike period – though none of its recycling centres are open.

The county appears to be least impacted so far – with the main areas in towns across Angus appearing to be relatively litter-free.

A bin in Monifieth – full but not overflowing.

Some wheelie bins in Monifieth are also full.

An on-street bin in Carnoustie that has not been emptied.

Wheelie bins in Arbroath where the streets remain relatively clean.

Bin strikes – what happens next?

On Monday, a fresh pay offer was put forward to unions by Cosla – which is handling negotiations on behalf of councils – but rejected by unions.

It means the current strikes will continue until Monday night (Perth and Kinross) and Wednesday night (Dundee and Angus) as planned.

And unless a deal can be struck, a second wave of strikes is due to take place in September – which will include workers from Fife, who have not been part of the first wave.