At present collections are being missed in Glasgow at the rate of around 900 a week.
Record numbers of households in Scotland’s biggest city are being left with unemptied refuse bins, according to shock new figures.
Figures released by Glasgow City Council show that 46,074 missed bin collections were recorded across the city in 2024-25. This was up from 35,088 in 2021/23, 25,678 in 2022/23 and 36,100 in 2023/24.
At present collections are being missed in the city at the rate of around 900 a week. There have been almost 150,000 missed refuse collections across the city – 142,944 – in the last four years.
The problem has been linked to a recent increase in rodent infestations in Glasgow – particularly rats. One resident Charlie Kennedy claims his bins are left lying in the street outside his uncollected for up to a month at a time and is forced to spend weekends taking the unemptied refuse to a local recycling centre.
The civil servant obtained the missed collection figures after making a Freedom of Information request to Glasgow City Council and was shocked by the response.
(Image: Alasdair MacLeod/Daily Record)
The 31-year-old is concerned that unemptied bins – particularly those containing food waste – could attract rodents like rats. Charlie has three bins, one for general waste, one for paper and one for plastics, which are collected in two week cycles from outside his home in Glasgow’s Maryhill.
He claims that due to missed collections he can have all three lying full and unemptied on the main road outside his home at any one time. Charlie added:”If the council misses one collection then it can be a month’s worth of rubbish lying outside in a bin. “Sometimes the council will send a lorry out to pick it and sometimes they won’t. “The bins then create an obstruction and people with prams and wheelchairs can’t get up the road.” Charlie estimates there have been around 24 missed refuse collections from his home since May 2023. His last missed collection was his general waste bin two weeks ago.
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Charlie said:”It’s still sitting there full even though the council knows about it. “I have seen other bins in the street overflowing as well so it is not just me who is affected. “I was spending every week going to the tip because the bins weren’t being emptied. “I have exhausted every effort with the council and nothing seems to get done.” In Charlie’s own council ward of Hillhead there were 1925 missed collections last year compared to 1561 two years ago.
The worst areas of the city for missed collections is Possilpark and Milton with 2594 last year – compared to 805 two years ago. Charlie added:”I feel completely powerless in the situation. “I am paying for a service which is sub standard. “It is clear from the figures that the council have chronic issues with their waste collections.”They have told me they have resource issues. “It really p*****g me off.”
(Image: DAILY RECORD)
Glasgow City Council have had a lot of recent criticism over its missed bin collections, particularly from flats. In April the city was named the worst area in Scotland for rat infestations. Residents in the city’s Ibrox and Drumchapel districts have reported the rodents running riot due to issues with the frequency of bin collections.
A council spokesman said: “We undertake over 21 million household bin collections every year and more than 99.9% of collections are completed satisfactorily. “Our cleansing team operates a highly efficient collection system, but there are occasions when collections are missed due to a range of factors.
“Difficulties with access to streets for refuse vehicles, no access to bin courts such as when a lock on a close door has been changed, recycling bins contaminated with general waste, a mechanical issue with equipment and illness within a crew can all affect collections. “However, we do understand the inconvenience that a missed collection can cause, particularly in relation to kerbside collections. “If a collection is missed, we always look to resolve the matter as soon as possible.”