Cameras could 'protect' Bridgend tip workers from abuse

Tip workers in Bridgend could be fitted with body cameras to protect them against residents angry about having to separate their recycling.

Residents complained of collection delays after Bridgend council introduced a new system on 5 June.

Now a report said some upset about having to separate their recycling and waste are taking it out on staff.

It comes as new figures show the county's recycling rates are at a record high.

Since June, homes with fewer than five occupants have been limited to throwing out two bags of non-recyclable waste every fortnight under the scheme, run by a private contractor.

But residents complained about the service after missed collections and the council has since admitted the delays had been "unacceptable".

Six months on, figures show the amount of household waste diverted from the landfill is up from 57% between July and September 2016 to 74% for the same period in 2017.

If this continues, the council claimed it would not only meet Welsh Government targets, but be on track to get the best recycling rates in Wales.

The council said that while "significant" improvements have been made, a number of households are still repeatedly not having their bins collected.

Part of the changes mean that people have to separate their recycling from household waste when they take their rubbish to recycling centres.

But there are a "small number" who object to the scheme and "look to express their views more forcefully" to staff there, the report said.

The local authority is "working to overcome" these issues but said it was considering a range of possible measures to deal with the situation, including issuing body cameras to tip workers.

It added that fines could also be introduced by the contractor to households who do not separate their rubbish properly.

Deputy leader Hywel Williams said the council was working to resolve the problems.

"These new recycling statistics demonstrate the very real progress that is being made and are a promising sign that Bridgend county borough will soon be recognised as one of the highest-performing areas in Wales," he added.