Surprising impact of bin removals revealed

Richard Youle, local democracy reporter

Litter and fly-tipping has reduced in lay-bys in a Welsh county since bins were removed, according to councillors.

Carmarthenshire council has taken away 448 bins from lay-bys without pavements and from civic amenity sites, a committee report said.

The figure includes some other community bins dotted around the county.

While removing bins from lay-bys might be expected to result in more rubbish, the opposite seems to have happened and a more responsible approach adopted by people with litter to deposit.

“Lay-bys are much tidier without bins,” said Cllr Neil Lewis, a member of the council’s place, sustainability and climate change scrutiny committee.

Cllr Arwel Davies agreed, but he and Cllr Lewis said litter was an issue on tourist routes and at public events on bank holiday weekends, with Cllr Lewis saying he emptied an overflowing bin himself on one occasion.

The committee was examining the impact of the council’s recent litter bin policy which identified 463 bins for removal and was driven by efficient use of resources and a desire for better-managed public spaces, among other things.

People in Carmarthenshire asked for 92 new community litter bins last year and wanted 15 others removed.

High priority areas for new bins generally include busy retail areas, park entrances and near fast food outlets. Household and commercial waste should not be put in them.

Bins will only be installed in places which are safe and where there is a genuine need, according to the policy. It added that bins vandalised more than once won’t be replaced, and that no dedicated dog waste bins will be provided.

Campaign

Committee chairman, Cllr Kevin Madge, called for a campaign to remind people not to dump household waste in community bins. He also said town councils sometimes got the blame for overflowing county council bins and vice-versa, and that it was an issue “members of the public have been boxing our ears about”.

Cllr Madge also agreed with a comment by Cllr Lewis that community litter picks were “an untapped resource”. Cllr Madge said a man in his 80s in his ward regularly picked litter and that people like him ought to be recognised by the county council.

“I’ve been doing it (litter picks) for years and years,” added Cllr Madge. “It’s good exercise as well.”