Campaign to protect Sheffield bin collectors after rise in abuse and violence

• Video report by Adam Fowler

Bin collectors have spoken of the abuse, threats and violence they face after a rise in incidents in Sheffield.

It comes after waste management company Veolia released CCTV footage showing the kind of aggression faced by workers.

In one video a refuse collector can be seen loading a bin into a wagon when a van approaches, mounts the pavement and speeds around the wagon.

Other footage shows a man shouting abuse and wrestling with a bin collector to try to force his team to take away large cardboard boxes.

Driver Carl Wild has collected bins for 17 years. He said the issue of abuse was a constant issue.

"I get drivers just driving straight up to the front of the vehicle, beeping their horns," he said.

"I’ve had a bloke hanging out of his transit van telling me how my job’s rubbish – in his own words: 'It’s not my fault you’ve got a rubbish job, mate. You could just get your truck out of the way.'

"To be honest I’m not saying it’s acceptable but it’s like water off a duck’s back now."

His co-worker Brett Moxam said he had been threatened for trying to tell householders to sort their waste correctly.

"They're coming out, [they say] 'I'll put a shovel over your head', that sort of thing. It's ridiculous. Until you see it you won't believe it.

"It’s a massive thing. What if I end up run over and don’t go home to my kids? They don’t care, do they?"

Joel Mayfield said he had faced verbal abuse, obscenities, and threats of violence.

He added: "Not any actual in-your-face threats of violence but there’s a lot of aggressive driving and beeping of horns.

"We’re used to hearing that every day so it doesn’t faze you much when it happens the first time, but it’s the cumulative effect of hearing that every day and wondering what might come next."

After 40 incidents in the last year, Veolia and Sheffield Council have launched a campaign called Street Kind, urging the public to show respect.

Emma Windle, general manager for Veolia, said: "The council are prepared to support us in reporting these people to the police, and video footage will be shared with the authorities so they can take appropriate action.

"We’d like the police to visit these people and explain to them the consequences of their behaviour, and perhaps show them the footage so they can see it from the perspective of the individual who’s having to put up with [it]."

Cllr Joe Otten, chair of Sheffield City Council's waste policy committee, said: "These people are doing a good job for us. Let’s treat them with some respect. Let’s be nice to them. They’re entitled to a safe and pleasant working environment."

The GMB has said it has "serious concerns over the treatment, verbal abuse and violence" its members have faced and continue to face on the Sheffield network, which was "not acceptable in any form".

A spokesman added: "Our members are public service providers to the city and a minority of residents who cause these disgusting acts cannot be tolerated.

"No worker should go to work in fear that they could be caused harm and distress. The GMB is the union for workers at Veolia and stand strong with our members in tackling these issues."