Bassetlaw Council enforces 'flat lid' bin policy amid fears for safety of staff on windy days

wheelie bins
Bassetlaw Council says overloaded bins are a safety concern Credit: PA

Residents of North Nottinghamshire are being warned that their bins will not be emptied if they fail to abide by a council's "flat lid" policy.

Throughout January, bins in Bassetlaw District Council's area that were left with lids partially open were marked with a yellow warning sticker but were still collected.

But from today, 1 Feburary, the council will refuse to empty offending bins and apply red stickers warning residents about the rules.

As well as those that fail to comply with the flat lid policy, bins will not be collected if additional bin bags have been left out.The tougher enforcement of the policy – which has existed for some time – comes after concerns were raised about the safety of bin men.

The council said they could be injured by manoeuvring overloaded bins, or by "being hit by lids ... on blustery days", as well as facing risks if a bin weighs more than the recommended weight.

'Bin basics'

Cllr Julie Leigh, the council's cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said the policy was no different from that employed by the "vast majority" of councils but "the time is right to be more pro-active".

She said: "The red and yellow stickers issued are part of a wider 'bin basics' campaign we have launched to make residents more aware of how they can help to play their part in reducing the amount of residual waste that is collected in our district. 

"There are lots of ways that residents can avoid overloading their bins. For example, by ensuring that they place the correct items in their recycling bin, by taking all of their glass to a number of recycling sites across the district and by taking larger items to the household waste recycling centres."

Cllr Leigh refuted the suggestion it may lead to an increase in fly-tipping.

"There is no excuse or justification for fly-tipping and we will not hesitate to take action against people who deliberately and illegally dump their waste," she said.

"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."Residents in 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 at a cost of £39.