Wheelie Bin
Love them or loathe them, wheelie bins have become a part of everyday life here in the UK. Most local authorities have now adopted wheelie bins as their container of choice for general household waste, as well as for separating items destined for recycling.
Available in a range of sizes and colours, the standard size for household use is 240 litres. This has dimensions of 575mm x 730mm x 1060mm and is believed to be sufficient for the average family of four to five people. Smaller ones hold 140 litres and measure 480mm x 550mm x 1060mm – suitable for a couple or small family, and the larger size of 360 litres, measuring 580mm x 875mm x 1080mm is best for large family units.
As yet, there is no standardisation for the use of colours, each local authority does its own thing – although in most areas black or grey wheelie bins are used for general household waste. Green or brown bins are often for garden waste, and other colours, such as blue, are provided for glass, plastic and cans. Some authorities provide black bins with different coloured lids to distinguish one from the other.
There are advantages to using wheelie bins instead of black plastic bags. Wheelie bins keep waste secure and reduce the risk attracting rats, or other animals, foraging around looking for food, which would often result in bags being ripped open, spilling their contents onto pavements. This is an even more important consideration now that waste collections are mostly done on a fortnightly basis.
Not everyone qualifies for wheelie bins. Residents living in flats or other inaccessible areas are still required to use plastic bags. This causes particular difficulties for them, as they are required to store their rubbish and recyclables until collection day and the contents of the bags can produce unpleasant smells.
Those of us who have been provided with wheelie bins have other problems. They are large, and bulky to store. When full, they can be very heavy to move, even with two wheels at the front. Wheelie bins were clearly designed with functionality in mind, rather than style, so they look unsightly – although there are now some solutions available to minimise the problem.
Some people choose to use a wheelie bin screen, and place their wheelie bins behind it. Wheelie bin covers are available, which will hide your bin out of sight. Of course, most households don’t just have one wheelie bin to find a home for; often they will have two or three. Double wheelie bin covers can be purchased which will hold two standard size wheelie bins.
In terms of where to position your wheelie bins, if at all possible it is probably best to store your wheelie bins at the back or side of your property. This will reduce the risk of opportunists taking your wheelie bin and also prevent fly-tipping.
There have been stories in the press about youths, up to late night mischief, taking empty wheelie bins and using them in racing games. That might be harmless fun, but there is also a very real danger of someone rummaging through your waste searching for discarded bank statements and financial information, which could in turn lead to identity theft and fraud.
However you may feel about wheelie bins, it’s likely they are here to stay. The best advice is to decide on the best place to store them, use a screen or cover to hide them away, and then focus on the positive things. One day soon, we’ll all wonder how we ever got along without them!
Wheelie Bin Resources
Wheelie Bin Covers - Blend your wheelie bin into foliage, hedges, bushes or make it a feature with a Wheelie Bin Cover.
Wheelie Bin Numbers - Adhesive numbers to identify and personalise your wheelie bin and recycling boxes.
Kitchen Bins - I'm Rubbish provide a large selection of kitchen bins to suit a variety of kitchens.
The Gardeners Guild - The UK's leading trade network for qualified domestic maintenance gardeners.