RESIDENTS have been pressing Fenland District Council for a return to weekly collections for their green bins throughout the summer after finding them riddled with maggots in the hot weather. But Brian Elam, of Chatteris, has been told that the council is

RESIDENTS have been pressing Fenland District Council for a return to weekly collections for their green bins throughout the summer after finding them riddled with maggots in the hot weather.

But Brian Elam, of Chatteris, has been told that the council is sticking to its fortnightly collections.

"With this hot weather it is only hygienic that they empty the bins weekly," said Mr Elam, of the Elms, Chatteris. "It is not fair on the residents, on the environment and on the men who have to collect the rubbish.

If we were a business we would have to do something about it."

Another Fenland resident, Colin Anderson, of Ellingham Avenue, March, first noticed maggots in his bin in the middle of July, but after emptying the bin and disinfecting it, his problem returned last week.

Mr Anderson said: "It is not so bad in the winter but with the hot weather it is creating a potential health hazard.

"I think the council ought to empty the bins on a weekly basis in the hot weather rather than fortnightly."

The green wheelie bins used to be collected weekly until Fenland District

Council introduced the 'Getting it Sorted' initiative last year.

Every household in Fenland now has three bins - blue for dry recyclables, brown for compostable waste and green for refuse.

A council spokesman said: "By correctly combining the use of the new three-bin scheme people are still able to get the equivalent of a weekly collection.

The brown and green bins can be used to remove kitchen waste which is what is most likely to cause odour problems in the hot weather.

"Advice on what can be put in each bin is available from the council via our website www.fenland.gov.uk or at the Fenland @your service shops, or via the call centre.