A refuse collector who posts on social media as The No 1 Binman has explained why he and his colleagues do not collect bins that are so full the lid will not close. The explanation comes in response to a viewer's comment on one of his TikTok videos, in which the viewer complained that refuse workers would not collect bins with an open lid.
Ashley, who calls himself "the UK's no1 BINfluencer," has 211,000 followers on TikTok. He said: "Yes, that's absolutely right. Because the bin could get damaged, or sucked into the back of the bin lorry because it gets trapped in the lid and pulls the bin in."
Why an open lid causes problems
He added: "And then you'll be like, 'oh, where's my bin going?' Well, it's in the back of the lorry because you overfilled your bin. Or we drop a lot of stuff on the floor because they're trying to move bins with the lids up and everything just drops out of it because the lid's not closed."
Ashley went on to say: "There are many reasons why we don't take the bins. And we're just told not to, so we're just following instructions. If we move the bin, you're gonna blame us for making a mess. If we tip the bin and the bin goes in the back, you're gonna blame us. And if we don't tip the bin, you're still gonna blame us. So no matter what we do, we cannot win. But that's the life of being a bin man."
Other reasons bins may be left
He concluded: "Just please let me know what you want me to do. So if you don't mind paying out for a new bin every single time, then, you know, tell your, bin man. Alright, have a lovely day."
There are other reasons rubbish may go uncollected, including non-recyclable items being placed in recycling bins. Many households may not realise that polystyrene cannot be recycled in standard kerbside recycling bins. A large number of local authorities lack the facilities to process it, and instead ask residents to put polystyrene — including Expanded Polystyrene or Styrofoam packaging and takeaway trays — into their general waste bin.
Polystyrene readily crumbles into small beads that can block and damage sorting equipment at conventional recycling facilities. While some household waste recycling centres or particular council areas may accept it, residents are advised to check local guidance first.
Although regulations vary by council area, leaving additional bags or boxes beside the bin when a strict "no side waste" policy is in operation can also cause issues. Likewise, a bin that is too heavy may be considered unsafe for workers to move.
