Theft of wheelie bins, and associated arson, costs Salford taxpayers almost £2 million every year. Wheelie bin fires are also dangerous, waste the fire services time and risk lives.
We need residents help to tackle this problem. By putting your bin out on the street only when necessary, this problem can be reduced.
How much does bin theft or arson cost the council and fire service?
The cost is very high.
Approximately three and a half thousand wheelie bins are reported missing or stolen every year. At the cost of £20 per wheelie bin that is £70,000 annually. Each time the fire service is called out for a wheelie bin fire it costs £1,900. With over 900 call outs a year that is costs more than £1.7 million every year.
It is not, however, just about the cost to the taxpayer. Wheelie bin fires pose a real safety risk and is a problem that we take very seriously.
What are residents being asked to do?
We can't tackle this problem effectively without your help.
By putting your bin out on the street only when necessary and bringing it in as soon as possible after collection, you can help reduce the likelihood of bins being stolen.
We ask that you do not put your bin out before 7pm the night before collection and that you collect it by 11pm on the day of collection. This is a legal requirement and is your responsibility.
What if I only have the opportunity to put my bin out before 7pm/collect it after 11pm?
We have set the times to take into account different working hours and in consideration of those residents who are more limited in when they can take their bins in or out. This 28-hour ‘window' is, in fact, longer than other authorities allow.
We encourage people to join forces with their neighbours and help each other out in bringing in or taking out wheelie bins if the times do prove restrictive.