I have lived with my owners for a long time although they haven't used me very much because they recycle a lot of things or use a composter.
Once a week the nice dustbin men used to come and empty me. Occasionally my owner took me for a nice trip to the tip when he was taking the garden waste and bottles etc.

I was a bit sad when I heard that I was going to be replaced by the council with a smart new grey bin, but my owners seemed quite pleased as they were also getting a green bin for garden waste.

Soon I knew I would be redundant but then I realised that my owners had never received a grey bin. Apparently they tried lots of times to telephone the council but never did get a reply. Eventually they went to Riverside House about four times and were assured that the grey and green bins would arrive.

On the first day of the new scheme my contents were emptied into the next door bin. My owner visited Riverside House again yesterday and offered to bring the bin home himself, but this was not allowed. Last night my owners put me out in the correct place and I felt quite proud.
This morning my owners were very upset to find that I had not been emptied although a little red sticker on my lid said 'We have taken your waste today'. The sticker also said I was not recognised as an 'official council bin'.

I feel very sorry for my owners, especially as the two official notifications they received gave the wrong day for collection although most of their neighbours were given the correct day. - Margaret Watkins, Newbold Terrace East, Leamington (on behalf of the poor little bin).