New bins which crush rubbish using solar power have been installed in Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate on a trial basis.
Thanet council says the bins hold up to five times the amount of a standard bin: “New environmentally-friendly compacting bins have been installed on a trial basis. These bins use solar power to crush rubbish which means that each one can hold up to five times as much waste as a standard bin.
“It means fewer collections are needed to collect greater volumes of waste. This will reduce the number of trips our collection vehicles make and how much diesel is used.
“Compacting bins are now in place in Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, in town centre and seafront locations.”
Busy season expected
With high numbers of visitors expected over the summer season the council has also installed larger general waste bins in Birchington, Westgate, Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate and 20 new street recycling bins in the busiest areas across the district.
A council statement says: “To help to address the amount of litter that’s often left behind on our beaches during the summer season, 60 purple wheelie bins are now installed at the busiest areas along our coastline. These are in addition to the bins that are already in place around the coast all year round. An additional 50 large waste bins have been installed on our main promenades and beaches.
“During the summer season, dedicated beach crews are on duty every day from 6am to 8pm, picking up litter and emptying bins. Litter pickers are employed on our most popular bathing beaches, and bay inspectors give out litter sacks to encourage beach users to pick up their own waste.
“Flags and banners are in place to alert visitors to the location of waste and recycling bins and Enforcement Officers will be patrolling our main beaches and promenades. Variable message signs are in place on the side of key roads in the district, displaying anti-littering messages.”
Recycling
Thirty large mixed recycling bins have been installed at main bathing proms, adding to 12 recycling stations that were installed in July 2022 in partnership with Thanet Rotary Clubs and support from Southern Water.
The council has also recently introduced collection points for buckets, spades and beach items on the main bathing beaches. The aim is for beach users to leave unwanted beach toys for others to use once they’ve finished with them.
A project is also underway to replace dog waste bins with general waste bins. Thanet council says dog waste doesn’t need to be treated any differently to general rubbish; it can be put in the general waste bins.
Cllr Steve Albon, Cabinet member for Cleansing and Coastal Services, said: “Our residents regularly tell us that clean streets are a top priority for them, and it is therefore a key priority for the council. As part of our commitment to keeping Thanet clean and to support our ambitions around climate change, we have taken steps to improve bin provision and recycling facilities around the district.
“We want residents and visitors to experience Thanet at its best, and we all have a part to play. By working together, and using the waste and recycling facilities that are in place, we can help to make sure that the district is at its very best, all year round.”
Good idea in one way but as these bins hold 5 times more rubbish that does mean the person who empties them will have to carry a sack weighing 5 times heavier.
Well said. With less pick ups..
Indeed – the new bins are very commendable but will the large influxes of visitors (particularly coach parties) actually use them ?
A significant problem is caused by those who go to the beach for the day bringing all their own food and drink but leave all the discarded bottles, packets, boxes and bags behind.
It is good to read that Enforcement Officers will be patrolling the beaches and promenades. This will be good to see. It will be better than seeing all their vans parked up in Mill Lane car park . . .
Mr Clean you are absolutely right but the council must still clear up litter.The fact that many back streets to the beaches are full of weeds,unswept,silted up drains and full of graffiti gives somes idiots the idea to throw litter.TDC have set very low standards.I walked an 800 metre rd the other day and every step had a piece of litter and there was more grass growing in the kerbs than my garden.
The point of these bins is that they send an alert to the TDC department when they are near capacity and need emptying
Well done……might be an idea to litter pick all the side streets off
Thanets beaches.Everyday I pick up 20/30 litter.God nows how dirty many streets would be if not for locals. Many of the International companies like Tesco MacDonalds Costa etc should be made to look at refucing packaging or be made to do litter picks.I often get the famous Ice cream shops tissues,spoons,punnets and packaging along with unwanted ice creams tossed in my garden.I see fish and chips left on seats with a litter bin only yards away.So Thanet clamp down on litterbugs and make sure yr new bins are Seagull proof because their population is growing at a phenomenal rate.
Big boxes from. Petes fish factory but with contamination cannot be recycled.. Did you see just one bin. No recycling ones?
Clean streets are a proirity but the area does not evolve around the beachfronts.The back streets are Third World.Also I see industrial levels of weeds also.This also means clean strrets to me.
They trialed one these at a beach when I was a Baby Inspector, the following morning I arrived to find it jammed up with a broken folding chair and a sun brolly.
“Ready for Summer season”? When I had a beach job in the ’80s, the season started at Easter!
What ambitions around climate change Cllr Albon? TDC is still running highly polluting waste vehicles. Planning for electrification of the fleet by building TDC’S own charging station is severely delayed. Analysis of the implementation woefully inadequate. Meanwhile the bin workforce continue to inhale cancer causing particulates. Where’s your duty of care or will it be another bollocking in court as with the staff who have succumbed to white finger?
Electric vehicles are a con and not the answer.
Indeed.
But some believe whatever they’re told by the government, sadly.
Better going with hybrid
“Electric vehicles are a con and not the answer.”
MY Dad always used to say stuff was a con, but when pressed could never really answer why in a form that made much cogent sense. Seems to be people who don’t want change and don’t understand the early-adopter system and how it works.
EV’s aren’t going anywhere. They’re going to be more ubiquitous as the decade rolls on.
Worth a try at least. IF seagull proof they have to be better than the old ones.
They’ll try anything to get out of employing town cleaning operatives. It’s not only the beaches they need to concentrate on. Some mornings in Westgate there is rubbish, usually food waste of some description or other, all over Station Road and its pavement because people are leaving their rubbish next to the council bins. It’s disgusting.
Makes me laugh when people blame TDC for litter. It’s the people of thanet that litter not TDC. If a bin is full take it to the next bin or take home.
Just because a bin is full doesnt give people the right to litter.
Alot of people lack any pride in where they live.
This. Same people complaining about TDC responsibility for traffic in the area, as they transit through in their own cars twice a day…
Good point Mr clean. But there are plenty of piles of rubbish around which may soon be of interest to archeologists … some of those who dumped it may be dead by now but one thing’s for certain – they’re not coming back to clean it up. And, quite possibly, heaps of litter & fly-tipping attract more of the same. TDC would definitely not leave these rotting heaps in tourist areas and local residents who pay council tax deserve the same consideration.
Absolute joke wast fortune on gimicks while there hard working staff are forced to use food banks because they won’t offer them a living wage while wasting tac payers money on gimicks to get there photos in the paper hoping to get relected so the cam steel more money and give out planning permission to the mates and this is a labour council Absolutely ridiculous council