A man who can only leave his house in a wheelchair said he's been "neglected" by Wirral Council and Biffa as he hasn't had his bins collected for over a month.
Alan Lewis told the ECHO he has recently been accepted onto the assisted bin collection scheme because of his disability - but he still hasn't had his green bin collected for well over a month. Mr Lewis claimed his bins haven't been collected because of a long-running feud with the council and Biffa because he's made a number of complaints against them because of the way they leave the bins.
The 51-year-old from Birkenhead is wheelchair-bound because of severe arthritis and osteoporosis and can struggle to leave his house. He said he's been forced to make a number of complaints against his bin collectors in the past as bins have been left across the pavement rendering it inaccessible for wheelchair users.
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Mr Lewis used to have a neighbour who put his bins out for him - but now with the assisted bin collection scheme his bins are supposed to be collected and returned to outside his kitchen door. His green bin, supposed to be collected every two weeks, has now not been collected for over a month.
Mr Lewis told the ECHO: "These first two collections they've failed to do what they were supposed to do. I personally think this is down to retaliation from Biffa as I've made so many complaints to both Biffa and Wirral Council over the way the bins are left.
"When the bin collectors come they leave the bins not in a straight line, blocking the pavement for people with disabilities.
"I've been assured time and time again it won't happen the next time but it still did. I've made multiple complaints over the years against them because there were times when not even a mouse could get past them."
Mr Lewis said because of his disability he can only leave his house if he is in a wheelchair - and the arthritis in his joints can get so bad he can't even hold a cup of coffee.
Mr Lewis said the rubbish is now building up outside his kitchen window leaving them exposed to vermin and other wildlife. He added "Wirral Council aren't doing their job and they're not making Biffa do their job properly either," before adding he feels "neglected" because of it.
He said: "I was put on the bin collection five weeks ago and both times since then I was meant to have my green bin collected they haven't done it. It's not like they're skipping an occasional bin collection - it's ever since I've been put on the list they've failed to do their job."
A spokesperson for Wirral Council and Biffa told the ECHO : “Mr Lewis has only recently been added to the list of residents to receive assisted bin collections from Biffa crews. Before then, we understand one of his neighbours had been helping him with his bins, but they have now stopped.
"Biffa will now be collecting and returning Mr Lewis’ bins from his property as part of the assisted collection service. We will also ask Biffa to remind their staff that they should take care not to leave collected bins in a way that causes an obstruction to residents.”
