Luton Council to look at cost of using underground bins in built-up areas

An underground refuse system could be the answer to eradicating smelly bin stores in some of Luton’s built-up housing areas, a Luton Council meeting heard.

Such bin systems might be deployed for flats, HMOs, terraced houses with limited storage space and larger new developments, according to a report to the council’s overview and scrutiny board.

The report stated: “They are fixed collection points with underground waste storage, which can be used by residents to deposit their household rubbish for collection by specialist vehicles. Benefits include enclosing the waste more effectively and reducing any spillages.

“Bins are often hidden in the basement or in dark store rooms, which become smelly, so residents are keen to get out as quickly as possible, disposing of their waste in the closest container or leaving it on the floor.”

LBC’s strategy and sustainability service manager Shaun Askins explained: “There’s increased interest in underground refuse bins in the UK. The report contains some case studies and options. It’s obtaining that behaviour change where there’s currently low or problematic recycling, making it easier to dispose of small volumes on a regular basis.”

He added: “You can see the costs to the council falling eventually for the different vehicle types because it’s often safer and quicker.

“Developers realise they don’t have to provide a bin store, which is quite often a source of challenge for residents.”

Liberal Democrat South councillor Steve Stephens said: “If something like The Stage town centre development goes ahead, that would be an ideal example for this.

“We need to find a solution. The answer isn’t only underground bins because that would be too costly to introduce across the town. There must be other options available.”

Cllr Stephens said it would be ‘useful’ to hear what alternative choices there are. He explained: “It’s clearly not working at the moment. The situation is getting worse.

“I feel for the residents who comply, but the state of their street is going downhill. That’s just not acceptable in modern-day Luton.”

Liberal Democrat Stopsley councillor David Wynn, who chairs the board, asked: “Has this been discussed with the town centre design guide people?”

Mr Askins replied: “It’s a live document, so we’ll put the board’s thoughts to the planning department.”

While Councillor Wynn added: “We want a costed proposal for what we can trial as underground bins and also how we can better tackle issues now, such as bin management, enforcement, and controlling the process more efficiently.”

Waste and resources officer Anna Gladysz suggested: “Underground bins for the terraced house are only a solution if everything else is coordinated. So that’s the frequency of collection and the right materials in the bins to make all the services work together, including education and enforcement.”

Councillors have agreed to ask for an underground bin pilot to be costed and to look for ways to improve the current refuse situation in the town.