A recycling company responsible for services across the Borough were hauled before Council amid growing concerns from residents.
Bryson Recycling were challenged to improve their services to local communities across the Armagh city, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough.
The company were brought before the Council’s Environmental Services committee last week to answer the councillors’ concerns.
“Complaints about the council’s recycling service is one of the main issues which people contact me about,” said SDLP councillor Thomas O’Hanlon.
“However, in recent months that has been vastly overtaken by the large volume of complaints about the state of local roads and potholes in particular.
“Complaints range from collections being regularly missed, boxes or lids being thrown to the roadside and damaged, lorries driving over grassed areas or indeed the speed at which the recycling lorries go up and down rural roads.
“As if litter wasn’t a big enough problem, you also find that on the day a lorry has been in a particular area you see lots of plastic bottles everywhere.”
He added: “I would pass these complaints through on a regular basis, however, in the weeks since Christmas the number of complaints I have been receiving have just rocketed.
“This simply isn’t good enough and it must be addressed urgently.”
“When Bryson were in front of the committee they were deeply apologetic and they showed us lovely photos of how the boxes are supposed to be left at the roadside when emptied. The pictures did not reflect how I have seen boxes left anywhere.
“Bryson have been given a very clear message that things must improve.
“These issues must be addressed. Officers are monitoring their activity and indeed the number of complaints received and if the service doesn’t improve I’ll be asking that they are brought before Council again.”
