In 2023, there were 26 reported incidents of violence or aggression towards staff across the whole waste and recycling service. Fifteen of those took place at HWRCs. This is in comparison to the four incidents that took place at HWRCs in 2022, all of which were verbal abuse.
Aberdeenshire council has said the severity of the bans will vary based on the seriousness of the incident. If the police are called, the ban will be immediate.
Valuable staff
Councillor Alan Turner, chair of the council’s Infrastructure Services Committee (ISC), said: “Aberdeenshire council has a strict zero tolerance policy regarding the safety of its staff. It is only right that bans can be issued to ensure this. Nobody deserves to face this type of behaviour. We should instead recognise the valuable contribution that our recycling centre staff make on our behalf every day.”
ISC vice chair councillor, Isobel Davidson, said: “There is no excuse for violence or aggression. Front line staff don’t make the rules; they are there to provide a valuable service and deserve to do so in a safe environment. It’s time to cut out this unacceptable behaviour and ban those who are unable to conduct themselves responsibly.”
The ability to ban individuals for violent or aggressive behaviour was added to the council’s Recycling Centre Policy at the recent Infrastructure Services Committee in late June.
Subscribe for free