Binmen lose their Christmas tips as householders fume over fortnightly collections

It used to be as much a part of Christmas as turkey, crackers and falling asleep in front of the TV.

A knock at the door would signal the arrival of the binmen and a polite request to contribute to the crew's Christmas box.

A few coins would be dropped into the rattling container and your bins would be emptied efficiently and on time for the following 12 months.

But growing resentment over fortnightly rubbish collections and complex recycling arrangements have sapped public goodwill so much that a Christmas present for the dustman is now a rarity.

Binmen say the worst areas for tips this year are parts of the country where there have been the strongest protests against misguided attempts by town halls to push up recycling rates, usually by forcing residents to put out different material on different days in different coloured bags.

Justin Bowden, senior organiser with the GMB union, said relations between binmen and householders were particularly bad in West Yorkshire, Norfolk, parts of Wiltshire and some inner London boroughs.

"Some of the new rules have been introduced in such a cackhanded way that people are fed up," he said.

"They want nothing to do with the binmen or the council and they're certainly not in the mood to give Christmas gifts, even small ones.

"Binmen have suffered verbal and physical abuse where they used to get a friendly hello. That's distressing for people who work hard all the year doing a difficult, dirty and tough job."

Binmen in many parts of the country have also been banned from asking for tips because of fraudsters posing as council employees.

The problem is particularly bad in London, where Wandsworth Council issued a warning after householders were asked for tips by fake dustmen.

Biffa, the company contracted to empty the borough's bins said: "It's a sad reflection on the times we live in."