Neighbours dumping rubbish in my bin

Peggy0628

Hi,
not sure if this is the right place to post.

I live in a rented house, in a rough area.
Local council runs a waste collection scheme that involves: garden waste (in a separate wheelie bin), dry recyclables (plastic bottles, tins, paper, cardboard etc in a different bin) and non-recycle waste (in a different bin). So 3 bins in total. The bins are emptied every 2 weeks (on alternate weeks - ie week 1: non-recycle waste, week 2: dry recyclables and garden waste). The bins are placed in the back alley for collection. There is a high brick wall so once the bin is out, I can't see it from my house (not even from upstairs).
Last time when the recyclables were due to be emptied I put our bin out at 8pm the night before collection (binmen normally turn up early in the morning). When I went to get the bin the following day, I found it in the back alley still full but moved to a different place. As it turned out, somebody has dumped all sorts of non-recyclable crap in it (potato peels, off-cuts of meat, crisp packets, been bottles etc).
We have now received a letter from the council threatening us with a £1000 fine if it happens again.
The bin only had the correct recycling in it when I put it out. How am I supposed to stop someone dumping other stuff in it after it was put out but before it gets emptied? There are no gates on the back alley (and there is a pub nearby) so anyone can access our bin. Most of neighbours don't recycle at all. There are several bins for recycling standing in the alley full of normal rubbish and been there like that for months (but those bins have no house numbers on them so it's impossible to know who they belong to, all our bins have numbers on them so I guess we're an easy target for the council).
What can I do to stop people contaminating my recycling? And if it happens again, how can I explain to the council it wasn't us who put the wrong item in there? I was thinking of taking photos of the inside of the bin or even making a video recording of me taking the bin out... Not sure if that would work.
Thanks for any suggestions.

moneyistooshorttomention

I know I've heard of people putting locks on their bins - but my mind struggles with how the Council refuse collectors would empty them then.

But there might be some sort of "security" you can put on your bins.

I agree it would be most unfair for you to be fined for someone else's misdemeanours.

Personally - I think I'd ring the Council in your position. I'd explain what the neighbour is doing and that you can't be quite sure which neighbour it is and you are "Very concerned to stop this happening myself - as I'm worried I might end up getting a fine imposed on me that rightfully should go to that neighbour".

Then you say to them "This must happen to other people as well and they have to find a solution to stop the neighbour doing this to them. I'm wondering about whether I could put locks on my bins - so the neighbour can't put anything in them. But I'm worried as to how your people would then manage to empty them. Do you have suggestions as to what people can best do in these circumstances please? Are there any locks that would work against neighbours - but your people could empty the bins alright?"

They might have some ideas.

Marvel1

Instead of putting it out night before, put it out in the morning, see if that will help.

warby68

You could try only putting it out when its very full even if that means missing the odd collection.

It might not stop very inconsiderate neighbours trying to ram a bit more in but worth a try.

davidmcn

Peggy0628 wrote: »

And if it happens again, how can I explain to the council it wasn't us who put the wrong item in there?

Just tell them what's going on. I'm sure they're used to it happening elsewhere.

25_Years_On

You should certainly tell the Council what is happening and ask them for suggestions.

agrinnall

When this happened at a block of flats where I was renting a few years ago I reported it to the council and their response (probably correctly) was to remove the recycling bins altogther. That meant that residents then either had to put everything in the waste bins or use alterative recycling options - I took most of mone to the supermarket when I shopped, but for some items I had to take them to a recycling centre.

DCFC79

Keep the thread updated OP.

Keep_pedalling

25_Years_On wrote: »

You should certainly tell the Council what is happening and ask them for suggestions.

In the first instance contact your local councilor.

luvchocolate

We had the same problem in a city centre block of flats. I spoke to the bin men and they took the recycling one away he said it happens a lot so we no longer recycle.

AdrianC

luvchocolate wrote: »

We had the same problem in a city centre block of flats. I spoke to the bin men and they took the recycling one away he said it happens a lot so we no longer recycle.

The ridiculous thing is that there's people out there who think that's a good result.