Bassetlaw council won’t allow binmen to collect overflowing bins in case the lid flips open in the wind and slams them in the face
- Bassetlaw District Council is taking a more ‘proactive’ approach to bin collection
- Residents will not have bins collected if the lid isn’t fully shut under new policy
- A council spokesman said that overloaded bins can pose a safety risk to workers
- The new approach will see red stickers put on the side of bins with raised lids
A council in Nottingham has warned that it will no longer allow binmen to collect overflowing bins in case the lid flips open and caused them injury.
Bassetlaw District Council said it is taking a more ‘proactive’ approach to its flat lid policy, meaning Retford residents will not have their bins collected if the lid isn’t fully shut.
It is partly in an effort to prevent injury to binmen, with a council spokesman saying overloaded bins pose a safety risk to workers attempting to manoeuvre them.
The new approach, which will come into force on February 1, will see red stickers put on the side of the bins with raised lids and rubbish left until the next collection.
Throughout January, bins that would not qualify for collection have been marked with a yellow warning sticker, but have still been collected.
Bassetlaw council has ‘always’ operated a flat lid policy but are now being more ‘proactive’ in their approach to encourage residents to think about ‘how much waste they generate.
Bassetlaw District Council said it is taking a more ‘proactive’ approach to its flat lid policy, meaning Retford residents will not have any overloaded bins collected i(stock image)
According to a council spokesman, bins will not be collected if either the lid is raised or additional bin bags have been left to the side.
The spokesman said raised bin lids and side waste can result in rubbish being blown across the street, while overloaded bins also pose a safety risk to binmen.
It can also ‘comprise the safety’ of the loading equipment if the bin exceeds the recommended weight, they added.
Once the new approach comes into effect in February, bins with raised lids or side waste will be slapped with a red warning sticker and will not be taken.
If a bin is refused, the owner will need to wait until the next collection date and ensure the lid is closed and there is no side waste.
Details about Bassetlaw Council’s flat bin lid policy on its website say: ‘Bassetlaw Council operate a flat lid, no side waste policy.
‘This means that upon collection of the wheeled bin the lid must be in the closed position and the Council will not collect any extra refuse which is placed next to a household wheeled bin for collection, or wheeled bins which are over loaded.’
Councillor Julie Leigh, cabinet member of neighbourhoods at the council, offered advice on how to avoid overloading bins, including using recycling bins.
It is partly in an effort to prevent injury to binmen, with a council spokesman saying overloaded bins pose a safety risk to workers attempting to manoeuvre them (stock image)
She said: ‘There are lots of ways you can avoid overloading your bins.
‘For example, by ensuring that you place the correct items in your recycling bin, taking all of your glass to a number of recycling sites across the district, and by taking larger items to the household waste recycling centres.’
She added: ‘We have always operated a flat lid policy but believe the time is right to be more proactive and encourage residents to think more about how much waste they generate and how they can dispose of this waste.’
Residents previously slammed the new policy as ‘ridiculous’ and said they were concerned it would encourage fly-tipping, according to Lincolnshire Live.
One resident said: ‘All it’s going to do is encourage fly-tipping. There’s loads of it happening around here already.
‘You can’t help but have your bin lids stick up a bit.’
Residents in larger households of six or more, or in a household with two or more children in nappies or under two years old, can apply for a second household waste bin on the council’s website for £39.
Cllr Leigh added: ‘We understand that this is an emotive subject for residents and believe that the majority of households will already be doing what they can to reduce, reuse and recycle.’
The policy will cover both household and recycling bins.
MailOnline has contacted Bassetlaw District Council and Nottingham County Council for further comment.
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