Rubbish, Myths and Experts

The UK looks set to have a clash between an urban myth and experts. For the last couple of years there has been shift in the patterns of how domestic refuse is collected by local councils. Until recently most councils collected refuse weekly, from a single dustbin (typically from a large wheelie bin). However, waste disposal is an increasing problem in the UK, as in many other countries. Landfill sites are becoming full, nobody wants new holes digging, and incineration raises its own concerns.

Local councils have been pulled by encouragement and pushed by taxes to increase the amount of recycling in their area. The solution that many councils have adopted is to supply each house with two wheelie bins, a recycling bin and a waste bin. For reasons of costs the pattern of collection has been that the recycling is collected once every two weeks, and the waste bin is also collected every two weeks.

There is now a groundswell of opposition to the twin bin system, by people who object to their domestic waste being collected every two weeks. All of the evidence is that the twin bin system leads to more recycling, and that there are no hygiene problems with domestic waste, provided it is properly wrapped before being put in the bin. However, there are growing numbers of urban myths about houses in a ‘neighbouring area’ that have become infested with maggots and even more scarily rats. Quite how people think rats go about opening the hinged lids of the bins to climb in, and why rats can master this art with two weekly collections and not with weekly.

The problem for the Government and the local councils is that their argument rests entirely on science and evidence, but the opponents are basing their views on ‘common sense’ and myths. My suspicion is that myths will win hands down.

It seems to me the balance between science and myth in society has been changing for a few years now. In the US, but also in parts of Europe there is a growth of people believing in Creation, and disbelieving in evolution. There seems to be a growth in alternative medicine, the use of star signs, and a never ending supply of people willing to take part in national lotteries (or stupidity taxes as statisticians call them).

Comments

[Mario]

I agree, and am therefore all the more thankful for things like Ben Goldacre's brilliant "bad science" column in the Guardian (http://www.badscience.net).