Luton Council introduces fines for black bags left next to bins

Luton Council will be introducing fines for side waste from the end of this month.

Extra black sacks and items of rubbish left by the side of bins will be stickered warning people that they could face a £400 fine.

The council is introducing these fines as side waste is considered dumped rubbish and should not be left out for collection.

Extra waste can be avoided by minimising rubbish through recycling, home composting or using the brown garden waste bin.

If room is tight recyclable items can be squashed and flattened, extra recycling can be put in clear sacks and people can use the Tidy Tips.

Councillor Aslam Khan, portfolio holder responsible for environmental enforcement at Luton Council, said: “Most people are able to manage their waste, however there are still some bins with items that shouldn’t be in there as they could be recycled. More importantly in some areas there are extra black rubbish sacks left out for collection.

“Rubbish and unwanted items left by the side of bins makes a mess of our streets – it’s unsightly and can attract vermin. Anyone who puts out extra bags of rubbish next to their black bin could face a fine”.

For more information on what and how you can recycle, to order clear recycling sacks and to find out the location of Tidy Tips visit www.luton.gov.uk/lutonbins.

If you feel that the size of your bin is not big enough for your family’s needs, you may be eligible for a larger bin, contact the council’s waste team on [email protected].