to think removing public bins is not the answer?

[HazelMember]

I know the council says they are removing public bins because of fly tipping, people stuffing household waste in them or dumping bags next to them. But so many have disappeared recently.

Bins outside schools, near the train station, in the park, gone. People still fly tip in the exact places where the bins used to be and there is more little litter too because there is nowhere for normal day to day rubbish to go. Wrappers, coffee cups, dog poo bags, it all just ends up on the ground.

So how is this helping? It feels like it just shifts the problem from misused bins to streets and green spaces looking disgusting and makes it harder for people who are trying to do the right thing.

I am not pretending fly tipping is not a problem but removing bins feels like punishing everyone else while the people who dump still dump.

What council is threatening to remove bins?!

The reason they give is an excuse. It’s cost cutting, so they don’t have to employ someone to empty the bins. They will turn a blind eye to litter/hope local people set up a volunteer litter picking service.

I can’t see how removing bins will remove any of those problems…!

Yes, complete cost cutting exercise to save money and effort. With an ever expanding population, this is another silly idea from councils.
When we lived in Oz, you could leave items out for people to pick up and reuse, there was a time limit and if the items weren’t claimed and reused the council would go round and dispose of it.

Ridiculous idea. Bins round here always get filled up fast and after christmas people have been more inventive and started fly tipping around post boxes and salt bins, not to mention any alleyways.
Its just encouraging people to scatter their rubbish everywhere and creates a breeding ground for rats.

The have removed a few bins where I live a couple on dog walking routes, people have been leaving poop bags in the bin spaces in protest!

I don't agree with the poo bags being left just edited to say that.

You're right, it's really stupid. Reducing the number of bins won't magically reduce the amount of rubbish the councils have to collect. And it's quicker to clear up if it's left next to an overflowing bin rather than thrown into hedges and scattered along footpaths across the county.

Its an excuse.

They remove the bins because that then removes the associated cost of upkeep; emptying, disposal, vans, employees etc.

Its an excuse to cut costs

It's an example of cargo cult thinking. Some people at our local council thought they could encourage more visitors to the area by building one or two more hotels. Umm no!

The same bone headed mindset applies when they build new houses with zero or one parking space claiming it will encourage people to use none existent or useless public transport. Er no.

Yep!

They did that round my way and they reinstalled the bins

Where I live, one council is in charge of the household tips, and another council is in charge of sorting out fly tipping. So the first council can cynically reduce tip opening times etc because it doesn't have to deal with fly tipping,

There ae no excuses at all for councils to remove ways for people to lawfully dispose of their waste. They whinge about not having any money but they can find money when they want to.

I don't agree with the poo bags being left around generally either but totally understand in this scenario and it clearly had the desired effect!

I also don't agree that leaving your rubbish next to a full bin is fly-tipping if it's the correct type of rubbish for that bin. They should be emptied frequently enough.

Example - leaving a bag of clothes next to a clothes bin is not fly tipping. Leaving an old armchair is.

They have removed public bins at beauty spots in Wales and there has been a rise in fly tipping and littering.

I'm part of a litter picking group and the amount of rubbish has gone through the roof since the bins went because of 'cost saving'.

It annoys me that people can get the crap to a place but can't take it home.

They’ve shut one of the tips near me. It’s an extra ten miles to the next tip which is only open certain days for a fairly big city. Massive queues to get in when it is open. And of course fly tipping has increased.

Yes, I agree it is a protest for the bins but they are not being lifted,so it is stalemate atm.

The problem is that shitty people will fly tip regardless so the council aren’t preventing the problem, they’re making it worse and so it’s not going to save as much money in the long run. Looks good on paper, won’t last.