Storm Doris Update for Ealing

UPDATED: 21:12 24/12

Details on fallen trees around the borough and action Ealing Council is taking to deal with them.  This post will be updated with the latest information.

Currently across the borough, we now have had 51 (formerly 37) reports of fallen trees.  Each incident is assessed and prioritised:

Priority A: Trees/branches that present an imminent risk to the public and those blocking major roads (10 incidents) – ALL NOW CLEARED

Priority B: Trees/branches that present an unreasonable risk to the public and those blocking roads and footpaths (21 incidents) – 3 to be done tomorrow

Prioirity C: Trees/branches that present an unreasonable risk but are away from roads and footpaths (12 incidents)

8 other trees reported and being inspected.

4 teams have been working on behalf of Ealing Council today targetting the Priority A incidents.  These have now all been cleared.

Work on Priority B incidents have mostly been completed and the three remaining trees will be completed Saturday.

Priority C and any D incidents will be started once all over the above has been cleared.

Remember, there are still many hazardous trees across the borough and the Council urges the public to be extremely cautious around these obstructions.  Aside from the obvious fallen trees and branches there are potentially many broken branches caught within the tree canopies so please exercise appropriate caution.  At this stage it looks like the clean up will take up the majority, if not the whole of next week too.

If you wish to report a damaged tree or other incident to Ealing Council, you can now do so using the new Ealing 24/7 app from the Apple and Android App stores, searching for “Ealing 24/7”.

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Ealing’s hits record breaking recycling rates

Ealing continues to buck the national and city-wide trend of falling recycling rates.

The council is thanking residents for their continued hard work in helping the borough improve its recycling rates, which have risen by an impressive six percentage points since its successful alternate weekly collections service was launched in June.

The latest figures show the council is already meeting its target of recycling more than 50% of the borough’s household waste by 2018. Recycling rates have increased to 51.41%, up from 45.35% in 2015-16.

The tonnage of food waste recycled from homes across the borough has seen an increase of 54% compared to the same period last year, with 4676.74 tonnes recycled between June and January.

The council has changed the way household waste is collected last June, making it easier for residents to recycle. As a result of the changes, paper, plastic tubs and bottles, metal tins, foil, cans, glass, cardboard and much more can now be put straight into the blue wheelie bins without sorting. These are collected on alternative weeks, with rubbish stored in the black wheelie bins collected fortnightly, with green food waste collected every week.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure said: “Thank you to everyone who’s doing their bit to help us boost our record breaking recycling rates in the borough. We continue to buck the trend of falling recycling rates across London and England and I’m delighted that we’re well on course to hit exceed our ambitious 50% recycling target by 2018.

“The council remains committed to helping households recycle more and to do their part for the environment. These latest figures show that by working together with residents we can make a real difference.”

Residents can check their collection day and find out what they can recycle at www.ealing.gov.uk/bins.

Residents are also reminded that to recycle batteries and textiles, items should be bagged and placed on top of, or next to their bin.

Green food waste bins can be ordered at www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit.

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Recycle that Christmas Tree

For the sixth year running Ealing Council is making it easier for residents to do the green thing and recycle their real Christmas trees.

A free kerbside collection service will operate between Wednesday, 28 December and Friday, 27 January for residents to have their real Christmas trees taken away for recycling. Trees will be collected every week on the same day as the refuse and recycling collections. Residents can go to www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling to find their collection day over the Christmas period.

Trees left out need to be smaller than 20cm in diameter and all the decorations should be removed. Those higher than 6ft will need to be cut in two before they can be collected.

Residents can also take real Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes to a number of drop-off points across the borough until Sunday, 12 February. Once again, trees must have all decorations removed.

Christmas tree drop-off points:

• Acton Green Common
• Acton Park
• Berkeley Fields (Berkeley Avenue)
• Churchfields, Hanwell (car park)
• Cleveland Park
• Ealing Central Sports Ground (Horsenden Lane South)
• Ealing Common (Junction of Grange Road and The Common)
• Elthorne Park (Boston Road)
• Islip Manor Park (Eastcote Lane car park)
• North Acton playing fields
• Perivale Park (Cowgate Road)
• Pitshanger Park
• Ravenor Park (Oldfield Lane South and Ruislip Road)
• Rectory Park (Parkfield Drive)
• Southall Park (Green Drive)
• Southfields Park
• Spikes Bridge Park (West Avenue)
• Springfield Gardens (Rosemont Road)
• Walpole Park (Lammas Park Gardens)

In addition, the council’s re-use and recycling centres will continue to accept garden waste, including Christmas trees, for composting. These centres are located at Stirling Road, Acton and Greenford Road, Greenford.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “Whether it’s excess food waste, packaging, or your Christmas trees – we are making it easier for you to recycle on your doorstep.

“This Christmas and New Year let’s have something else to celebrate as a borough as we look to increase our record recycling rates even further.

“All of the trees that we collect get turned into nutrient-rich compost so it’s a great way to get your new year off to a green start.”

For more information on recycling in Ealing, go to www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling.

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Fly-tip fines to drop onto doormats across Ealing

Cllr Bassam Mahfouz launching the new fly-tip enforcement teams

Ealing Council has this week added a fourth fly-tipping enforcement team and van to the three already out on the borough’s streets.

The new enforcement team and accompanying vehicle are the latest tactic being used by the council to tackle and deter fly-tipping. The specialist teams are aimed at discouraging, catching, and cleaning up after selfish individuals who flout the law by dumping waste on Ealing’s streets.

Since the launch of the alternate weekly collection service in June, the council has cracked down on fly-tipping and introduced a new higher rate fine of up to £400. Ealing was one of the first boroughs to adopt the higher rate fixed penalty notice as part of a London-wide crack down to keep the capital clean.

Since the fly-tip enforcement crews were launched, the teams have visited 763 streets in the borough to investigate fly-tipping and gather evidence. The fly-tips have been traced back to 1124 addresses and the council is now in the process of issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) to those people.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “We now have four dedicated crews out and about on the streets of Ealing, identifying those people who fly-tip on our streets, gathering evidence to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £400. The vast majority of residents share our view that this sort of behaviour is appalling. We will not tolerate fly-tipping in our borough, those people who we have caught can now look forward to a hefty fine dropping onto their doormats very soon. You want to make a mess on our streets – we will find you and we will fine you.”

Residents are asked to report cases of fly-tipping using the online form at www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit or by calling the fly-tipping hotline on 020 8825 8825.

More information about the borough’s reuse and recycling centres, how to arrange a bulky waste collection and how to find scheduled collection days, is available at www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling.

Residents can check whether a waste clearance company is licensed and legal by entering their details at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register

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Fly-tip in Ealing? We will find you and we will fine you!

Cllrs Julian Bell and Bassam Mahfouz join the new enforcement crews

Ealing Council has created a new task force to help tackle the borough’s fly-tipping hotspots and find evidence to prosecute the culprits.

Three new ‘enforcement’ trucks are being used solely for collecting fly-tipped rubbish from the most severely affected areas, and manned by both waste teams and environmental enforcement officers.

The trucks are clearly marked with posters warning people of the consequences of being caught fly-tipping. Since 15 August the fine has increased to up to £400.

The council set up this provision in direct response to the growing incidents of fly-tipped rubbish in some areas of the borough. It’s in addition to the council’s normal street cleansing service that already deals with fly-tipping.

The council has also been tackling the problem through a mixed approach of giving thousands of residents one-to-one advice and support on the doorstep on how to use their new wheelie bins, alongside tough enforcement.

Going out with one of the new trucks, Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for environment, transport and leisure, and Councillor Julian Bell, leader of Ealing Council, saw at first hand the amount of rubbish that regularly gets illegally dumped.

Councillor Mahfouz, said: “The vast majority of residents dispose of their waste appropriately and legally. Like me, they are disgusted when they see a disrespectful minority fly-tip on our streets.

Three enforcement crews are out on the streets of the borough

“There is never any excuse for disposing of rubbish illegally.  It’s disgusting, an eye sore and dangerous.  We’re cracking down on those who deliberately dirty our neighbourhoods by coming down on them hard. Let me send a clear message to anyone who feels they can dump rubbish on Ealing’s streets. We will find you and we will fine you.”

Councillor Bell, added: “These new trucks and our enforcement staff are helping to tackle the worst examples of fly-tipping in the borough. We are determined to prosecute anyone who persists in illegally dumping their rubbish on our streets.”

To report fly-tipped rubbish or anyone fly-tipping visit www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit or call the dedicated hotline on 020 8825 8825.

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Latest recycling figures for Ealing show another big increase

Ealing Council has released its latest recycling figures for July, the second month of the new rubbish and recycling scheme, indicating that 54% of all household waste was recycled.

This compares to 43% in July last year, a massive increase of 11% points.

Following the launch of the alternate weekly wheelie bin collection service in June, the latest figures highlight that a growing number of households across Ealing recycling more at home.

More residents than ever are also taking part in the food waste recycling service. Before the service change, 35,000 green food waste bins were in use in the borough. An additional 9500 have been handed out since the service change. In June and July Ealing Council collected 1122 tonnes of food waste compared to the same period in 2015, which was 795. This is an difference of 327 tonnes.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “These latest figures are a clear indication that the new service is helping households across the borough to recycle more and to do their part in helping the environment.  I would like to thank all of our residents who have used their blue wheelie bins and green food waste bins.

“The feedback I’ve received is that residents love how easy it is to recycle and it encourages everyone to get involved and throw away less. It’s clearly reflected in the massive uptake in recycling across the borough, thank you.”

Ealing Council is also reminding residents that there will be no change to their collection over the bank holiday – with crews working on Bank Holiday Monday. Residents should put their wheelie bins out on their normal collection day.

Residents can check their collection day online the council’s website at

More information about the new service, including collection schedules, can be found at www.ealing.gov.uk/bins

Green food waste bins can be ordered at www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit

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Ealing Council collection crews working on bank holiday

Ealing Council is reminding residents that rubbish and recycling collection crews will be working on bank holiday Monday to ensure there will be no disruption to services during the August bank holiday week.

Residents whose normal collection day falls on bank holiday Monday should present their blue or black wheelie bin and green food waste bin for collection before 7am on Monday at the boundary of their property as normal. Collections taking place for the rest of week will also remain unchanged. Residents can check their collection day on the council’s website atwww.ealing.gov.uk/bins.

The council is reminding residents that if they put their bin out on the wrong day their rubbish or recycling will not be picked up until their next scheduled collection day.

Under the new alternate weekly collection system, collections will always take place on bank holidays, except over the Christmas and New Year period. This includes over Easter when collections will take place on Good Friday and Easter Monday as scheduled.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “Feedback on the new recycling service is that it’s even easier to use and recycling figures so far show that more people are taking part.  One of the issues with the old system was the constant changing around bank holidays and some people putting it out on the wrong day.  So, another benefit of the new service is that other than around Christmas and New Year, your collection days do not change, making it easier for everyone to recycle.

“There is information on collections during the bank holiday week in the latest edition of Around Ealing. We will be posting reminders on social media and delivering postcards to households.”

More information on recycling and rubbish collections in Ealing is available at www.ealing.gov.uk/bins.

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