Life in France has recently got a LOT more expensive, and its complete and utter rubbish.  Since we bought Les Terraces we’ve marvelled at (and boasted about) the efficiency of the rubbish collection services here in Aquitaine ….. non-recyclable household waste was collected each Monday & Thursday.  Glass recycling on alternate Tuesdays (the ‘impair’ or odd weeks), and the other recycling every Thursday.  And a short drive down the road is the décheterie, to which you can take anything but food waste as long as you’ve a permit (free with your proof of residence). No smelly bins; no dragging heavy, leaking bin liners along to the nearest skip, as we do in the BVI.  We had it made.  Family in the UK complain about fortnightly collections, and we’ve read stories about dustbin-men there refusing to handle wheelie bins that can’t be manouevred with 2 fingers being left un-emptied on ‘elf and safety grounds. We were smug.

Last year we received notice that the rubbish collections were going to be amended somewhat, and we were issued with new wheelie bins.  Our rubbish collections were to be assessed.  Fair enough.  Times are tough and we thought that the service was over generous and unsustainable (but we weren’t complaining, trust me).  This week we received an invoice from USTOM.  They’re charging us €73 to rent the bin (no USTOM bin, no collection) and then €6 per collection for a maximum of 18 collections a year (€108).  So we’ve gone from the sublime to the ridiculous (usurious??) in less than a year.  Sorry, but that’s rubbish!

The problem is that rubbish is no laughing matter, because there are other rules too ….. You’re not allowed to lock your bin and have it on the road outside the house.  It has to be inside, or in the garden (if you have a garden).  And there is no location to which you can carry your rubbish when it is stinky.  Does this mean that I have to tell the local fishmongers and butchers that we’re very sorry, but we can’t buy their products any more as we can’t handle the waste?  And then what happens when your rubbish collection day coincides with a holiday?  Well, now I can tell you ….. Previously, your rubbish collection waited until the next scheduled day.  Now, I’m guessing that the dustbin-men are on double-time, as both last Thursday and today were public holidays, and all of the bins were emptied each week.  Where’s the sense?  Where’s the balance?

So, tomorrow morning I’m toddling around to see the lady at the Services Techniques desk in the Marie to find out what can be done.  Poor woman – one irate foreigner armed with a bill, a useless dictionary and an attitude.  That’ll wreck the 10 days of holiday she’s just enjoyed!