Wheelie Bin News Roundup November and December 

Though they may be humble, wheelie bins get their fair share of the headlines. From cancelled collections to crime, here are a selection of the end of year wheelie bin stories.

Cancelled collections in Cambridgeshire

First in our roundup of the end of year wheelie bin stories; the council is suspending green bin collections across Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire. This is mainly due to many staff having to self-isolate. However, there are also other issues that haven’t helped, like an HGV driver shortage and a lack of agency staff.

The food and garden waste green bin collections won’t resume again until January.

The council says that crews will prioritise the collection of general waste and recycling.  It insists that the decision to suspend collections has not been taken lightly. It’s now urging residents to support crews by storing any garden waste and minimising food waste as much as possible.

Falkirk wheelie bin fires blamed on lockdown

Deliberate wheelie bin fires are often in the headlines. Our roundup of the end of year wheelie bin stories includes yet another tale. Falkirk Fire and Rescue Service’s latest report shows that deliberate fires are still a big problem.

From April 2020 to March 2021, fire crews attended 393 incidents, up from 341 in the previous year. Most of the fires involved wheelie bins, grassland, or derelict buildings.

The Local Senior Fire Service Officer told a scrutiny committee that lockdown restrictions had worsened the problem. Restrictions provoked youths into taking out their frustrations. He added the fire service would continue to work with the police and local schools to tackle the problem. One on one fire service engagement with youths at a ‘high risk’ of offending was also a possibility. 

A local councillor posed the question of whether it was possible to change the material used for wheelie bins. He asked if that would make them less flammable. The fire service officer said it's the contents of bins that are set alight, not the bins themselves.

Wheelie bin crime in Cape Town

For the last of our end of year wheelie bin stories, we head overseas to South Africa. Residents in the Southfield suburb of Cape Town are becoming increasingly angry about the rise in bin theft.

The city’s Waste Department reported a 17% increase in wheelie bin theft between 2019 and 2021 and residents have had enough.

And it’s not just the theft that’s causing problems, it’s what criminals are using them for. Some criminals use wheelie bins as a place to hide before they rob someone or as a means to transport stolen goods.

A local councillor has urged residents to stay vigilant and bring their bins back in as soon as possible after collection. They are advised to report the theft to local authorities so they can get a replacement within 10 days.

There it is, our rundown of the end of year wheelie bin stories that caught our eye. Who knows what the new year will bring? Watch this space for more wheelie bin news. For more interesting articles on all things wheelie bins, check out the rest of our blog.