Rubbish bins are an essential part of any building or premises, especially when members of the public are around. Ensuring there is somewhere to dispose of litter is important to keep the property clean but there are some important aspects to think about when installing and buying rubbish bins.

Hotel Bins often have to be fire retardant

Fire

An unfortunate side effect of most rubbish bins is that a lot of the litter can catch alight. Fires in public buildings can be catastrophic and even if no smoking policies are instilled in the area fires can still start, either accidentally or maliciously.

Fire retardant bins are especially important in buildings like hotels and hospitals where a fire could go unnoticed and spread before it can be dealt with.

Security

In busy pedestrian areas another aspect to think about is security. Bins have in the past been used to hide explosive devices in and a blast in a densely populated area could have terrible consequences.

See-though sack holders are often used in public areas like railway stations and airports. These prevent any suspicious package from being hidden inside as the contents of the bin are clearly visible.

Smells and Mess

Preventing smells and are also another consideration. Bins can be knocked over – deliberately or otherwise – so public bins should be mounted to either the floor or wall. If there is a food-premises around then you need to install a bin with a good fitting lid to prevent smells as this is unhygienic as well as repugnant – flies and other pest could be attracted to the bin.

Sourcing bins for public areas is not as simple as most people first think and if proper thought does not go into the problems that could occur then the rubbish bin could land you into trouble.

]]> http://www.imrubbish.co.uk/blog/2010/11/rubbish-bin-security-%e2%80%93-importance-of-providing-safe-public-waste-bins/feed/ 0 http://www.imrubbish.co.uk/blog/2010/08/waste-management-for-hospitals-%e2%80%93-it%e2%80%99s-all-about-the-rubbish-bins/ http://www.imrubbish.co.uk/blog/2010/08/waste-management-for-hospitals-%e2%80%93-it%e2%80%99s-all-about-the-rubbish-bins/#comments Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:18:17 +0000 Richard N Williams http://www.imrubbish.co.uk/blog/?p=210 Waste management is perhaps more important for hospitals than any other industry or institution. Hospitals produce vast amounts of waste and refuse from all manner of sources and not all of it can just be thrown into the rubbish bins. There are two types of waste produced by hospitals and medical settings: clinical waste, which [...]


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]]> Waste management is perhaps more important for hospitals than any other industry or institution. Hospitals produce vast amounts of waste and refuse from all manner of sources and not all of it can just be thrown into the rubbish bins.

There are two types of waste produced by hospitals and medical settings: clinical waste, which is produced by medical procedures, and standard refuse.

Clinical waste
Clinical waste is generated from surgical procedures and contains six different types of waste, the disposal of which is strictly controlled by legislation and procedures:

• Sharps: hypodermic needles, scalpels and other sharp metallic items that have to be disposed of in special sharps bins. These are sanitary bins that are clearly marked hazardous and are designed to prevent accidental insertion of hands or digits which could lead to infection and contamination.
• Infectious – waste that can cause the spread of infection. Bandages, suture and other items that has human detritus on it has to also be disposed in a sanitary bin – which also has to be clearly marked and disposed of following correct procedures.
• Pathological: these are body parts such as human tissue which is strictly controlled in its disposal. Traditional incineration was used but more and more frequently other less environmentally damaging methods are used.
• Pharmaceuticals: drugs and chemicals that are disposed off are also strictly controlled.
• Radioactive: less common but as equally controlled; radioactive waste is often generated by x-rays and radiotherapy procedures.

Hotel Bins often have to be fire retardant

General Refuse

Hospitals also produce vast quantities of general refuse and waste too. Generated from patients, visitors, staff, offices, kitchens etc. etc. And while there are no strict guidelines for this type of waste there are things to remember when it comes to dealing with refuse in hospitals.

Hygiene is often a major factor and nurses and doctors really don’t want to handle a bin to dispose of a piece of paper as it would force them to go through their vigorous hand washing procedures. For this reason many hospital bins are pedal operated which helps reduce the risk of cross contamination too.

Another consideration for hospital bins is safety and security. Fire retardant bins are a must on wards and corridors. If a fire starts in a hospital it could lead to catastrophic loss of life Equally in this day and age, see through hospital bins are used to prevent the hiding of suspect packages.

There are several types of waste bin used by each of us. There are those that we dispose of our waste at home or work. The outdoor bin where this rubbish is stored until collected by the local authority of waste management company, then there are the public litter bins provided for us on the high street to ensure our streets are kept clear.

But there are other types of rubbish receptacles that are increasingly being commonly used, including:

• Recycling bins
• Gardening bins
• Bin banks for bottles and cans

At Home

Many of us may remember the traditional dustbin that most homes had. Either metal of plastic it was this bin that stored all our household waste until it was emptied by the dustmen.

However, increasingly as more local authorities have switched to fortnightly collections and the need to reduce landfill and encourage recycling, these types of outdoor bin have slowly disappeared from our neighbourhoods, to be replaced instead by wheelie bins and recycling bins.

At Work

Similar changes have happened around the workplace too. Recycling is now much more common at our places of work, although the business sector has a long way to go to achieve the same levels of recycling that happens in the domestic environment.

However, it increasingly common for business, especially offices to recycle paper in paper recycling containers. Other recycling containers such as cup collectors that are used to recycle disposable coffee cups from dispensing machines.

Transparent bins prevent explosive devices from being hidden

In Public Areas

Bins in public locations such as along the high street or in parks are often immobilized by being floor or wall mounted to prevent vandals (and even theft) and vermin from emptying the bins.

However in recent years it has been commonplace for terrorists to use bins to hide explosive devices this has led to a decline in the number of bins in enclosed areas such as railways, airports and shopping centres although transparent bins can often be used in these areas – often a clear bin bag suspended from a frame.

Rubbish and waste in some businesses is often minimal and requires little more thought than the removal of rubbish from our homes does. However, in some industries, rubbish removal and waste management can be an integral part of a running a successful business and should never be dealt with lightly:

Food Industry

In the UK there are more fast-food restaurants, diners and takeaways, per person than in any other nation on earth* and all that takeaway food can result in masses of waste that the fast food industry has to deal with.

In the fast food business the rubbish discarded comes in two types:

• Packaging and wrapping
• Food waste

And each has to be dealt with differently.

Packaging and wrapping from fast food items is often discarded close to the premises and businesses need to work with their local authority to ensure there are enough public bins and external bins for litter.

Food waste has to be handled differently, however. Food can attract vermin and can also lead to unpleasant smells. For general use inside the business a good kitchen bin should be used. It needs to be large enough to handle day-to-day waste while also should have a well-fitted lid. You may find for ease of use a pedal bin or sensor bin will be prevent the need from handling it.

Externally – food waste needs to be stored in an outdoor bin which also has a good lid. External bins will also need to be sturdy to prevent them being toppled by vermin.

Office Paper and Recycling

Offices are another common business area that can amass large amounts of waste. Generally most office waste comes in the form of paper.

Paper can of course be recycled so a good paper recycling bin or container should be kept to allow the paper to be collected and recycled. There should be some risk assessment into storing paper as it is a potential fire risk. If waste aper is discarded to an outdoor area a fire retardant bin might be worth a consideration.

Large Capacity Recycling Bin

Steel large capacity recycling bins are a good idea for nearly all types of businesses that discards a lot of recyclable material. There are also recycling bins for collection of plastic cups – another common item discarded from business.

Councils and local authorities have to invest huge amounts of tax payers money in ensuring these public spaces are kept clean, tidy and safe. And one of the biggest enemy’s of this perennial task – is litter.

Littering costs local authorities a fortune and unlike in the city, it is a particularly challenging job to clean it up in parks and open spaces because of the large areas involved. Not only is litter in parks unattractive but also some litter can pose a hazard to the many children and families that use the parks. Litter can also attract vermin which can be difficult to get rid of and can cause its own problems.

Litter bins

Your number one defence in ensuring any public area is litter free is the public waste bin. Litter bins will help people act responsible when it comes disposing of their waste – as long as they are clearly visible. A good quantity of large outdoor bins will prevent a lot of the litter that can be carelessly discarded but attention needs to be paid to the location of the bins, the size and the frequency of emptying.

Ensuring areas of high usage such as near where ice cream vendors operate will prevent many of the litter problems that can occur in those areas. But other types of bin should also be considered.

Gardening bins and other outdoor bins should also be plentiful for the park’s workers as having to return to bins too frequently is time consuming.

Litter Bins for Local Authorities

Some thought should also go into what to do with any sanitary and hazardous waste. This should obviously be removed as soon as possible, taking every precaution, and a good sanitary bin would be a good idea to ensure it can be stored safely until it can be properly disposed of.

Other Litter Prevention

Dog fouling is another problem in park areas so ensuring there are facilities to dispose of this type of waste will, as with littering, will help encourage dog owners to be responsible.

Childcare is  important for many people in the modern world who try to juggle careers and families – a daily struggle for many households as is finding appropriate childcare.

Nobody will just leave their child with anyone no matter the qualifications and standards of the nursery and the staff, people need somewhere that can reflect their own wishes in the way they bring up their children.

Increasingly, people are reverting to more natural methods and eco friendly ways of raising their children and the resurgence in use of non-disposable nappies is one example.

More and more families realise the need to reduce waste and the nappy is unfortunately a large part of the problems we have in finding landfill space and preventing environmental damage. This is why many parents are now dismissing disposable nappies and reverting to the terry type towelling nappy.

And parents expect those that car for their children when they are not around to abide their wishes in the way they bring their children up which is why many nurseries and child care workers are buying nappy bins.

A nappy bin is more than just a bucket and there are several aspects to consider if you are to start using them.

Size

Firstly you need an appropriate size. Small nappy bins may be okay for a home environment but when it comes to a professional childcare setting, the larger the better. A 65  litre nappy bin should be considered otherwise you may find yourself having to empty too often and will have to do more washing than is necessary.

Lid

Preventing smells, germs; and ensuring children can’t get access to the nappy bin is vitally important. This is another reason why a large 65l nappy bin should be considered and just as importantly you need to make sure it has a good fitting lid, otherwise smells can generate.

Recommendations

Here are some things to look out for when looking to buy a nappy bin:

Size matters with nappy bins - 65l nappy bin

• Choose a large a capacity as possible, a 65l nappy bin is recommended
• One that is Rugged, polyethylene is perhaps the best material as it is easy to clean and won’t allow germs to linger.
• Chute lids for discretion and hygiene will prevent children from accessing the nappy bin and will make them easier to use
• Airtight top will prevent smells

There is so much to think of when supplying public bins and there is more to it than just supplying somewhere for the public to throw their litter.

Size, quantity and location

highly important as too small a bin, not enough of them or the wrong locations will just ensure littering continues. Establish the footfall in the area; what type of businesses are in the location (such as fast food places) and how often the bins get empties to ensure you get the right size and quantity. And place them where they are clearly visible and easy to access – a bin outside a fast food restaurant should be outside, not across the road!

Smells

If there are food businesses around then you will need to ensure that there is appropriate external bins provided for customers. These will need lids as the smell of rotting food is not only unpleasant it will attract vermin.

Transparent bins prevent explosive devices from being hidden

Fire retardant and Bomb threats

Often a consideration in public buildings like hospitals. Litter can often a be a source of fire so fire retardant bins are important as lives could be at risk. Also in public areas bins and waste containers have been used by terrorists and many public areas in countries that suffer this sort of problem use transparent bins to prevent the hiding of explosives.

Vandalism

A public bin needs to be tough and secure enough that it can’t be tipped over by vandals otherwise it will constantly get kicked over, spewing litter across the public are – making the bin pointless.

Sanitary Bins

In places like hospitals or public washrooms appropriate sanitary bins need to be used to prevent spread of disease. Regular bins should never be used for things like ladies hygiene products or waste bandages.

But is can be a confusing issue, especially considering the different schemes that run up and down the country where different materials are accepted for recycling. Often there is a lot of disparity in the number of recycling bins and what items can go in each too which adds to the confusion.

However, if recycling is compulsory then local authority recycling bins should be provided to most householders with instructions as to what can be placed in each. In general recycled materials can be summed in the following categories:

Different Recycling Materials:

Metals – both ferrous and non ferrous, often both can be placed in the same recycling bin.

Plastics – Many local authorities can’t yet recycle plastic but there are a few that do and plastics these would therefore have to be separated from the general household waste that would go into the conventional rubbish bin.

Paper – Paper and card are recycled by most local authorities. Sometimes large tubs or containers are used rather than  paper recycling bins doesn’t cause smells of other environmental hazards.

Food/organic waste – This can’t really be recycled by your local authority but you can do so at home by composting. Food waste rots anyway so it doesn’t pose too much of an environmental hazard.

Ceramics – Again, not all authorities will recycle ceramics and some will combine it with glass recycling too.

Clothing/fabrics – A lot of clothes that aren’t worn can be distributed to needy causes but fabrics can be recycled too so enquire to what schemes are on in your area.

Glass/bottles – Some authorities expect you to go the bottle bank, others will provide you with a recycling bin for glass

Garden Waste – this can be used by local authorities and recycled and often gardening bins are provided to recycle grass cuttings and the like.

In some local authorities many of the above items can be placed in the same recycling bin, in others separate recycling bins are provided (in one local council in the UK – nine different recycling bins have been supplied to residents) so it is important to check what can go in each bin.

Well actually, choosing the wrong type of bin can have all sorts of repercussions in the smooth running of any building or institute. Ensuring you kit any building out with the right equipment is crucial and making sure you select the right bins is no different. Not only can litter and mess build-up if the right bins are not provided but all sort of other problems can occur – from vermin to potential fires.

Essentially there are four things to think about when supply bins for a building, facility or institute:

Type of Waste

The first thing to think about is the type of waste that is disposed of. This will go along way in helping you decide what type of rubbish or waste bin is required. If food waste is being disposed of a good kitchen bin with appropriate lid is essential and so is an external bin capable of repelling vermin and pests and also keeping smells at bay.

In most offices, the largest volume of waste is paper based. Whilst simple waste paper baskets are adequate inside the building, you will need to ensure any external bins are fire retardant in case the paper is accidentally or deliberately ignited.

Fire retardant bins should be considered if combustible materials like paper is discared in quantity

Size of Bin Required

The size of both internal and external bins relies on two points:

* The frequency of emptying

* The amount of waste discarded

Location of bins

Another aspect to get right is ensuring the bins are in the right place. If bins are in the wrong location littering and waste time can often occur. Think of the workforce and where they will be when they require a waste bin.

Volume required

Ensuring you have enough bins is also important as is choose the right bin for the location too – kitchen bins should be provided where food is served and in bathrooms some sort of sanitary bin will be required.

As a consequence of all the political wrangling, the traditional dustbin is to become a thing of the past with multiple receptacles for different recycling with some home owners expected to need up to five different rubbish bins for different materials.

As a result, it is expected there will be an increase in the demand for rubbish receptacles – but selecting the right bins for councils and locaal authorities can be a difficult task, especially if there is an investment  on new receptacles. Making sure the right bin is fit for the right purpose, is vital as getting it wrong could be financially disastrous if the wrong bins are provided.

But the requirements for what bin is required can often have more to do with the location than the rules. There is little point in supplying an apartment block with wheelie bins for garden waste if there is no garden, and often if space is an issue where a different solution such as shared bins may have to be thought of.

Wheelie bins are commonly used by many local authorities for residential waste as they are often seen as a solution for all waste needs and they have many advantages over other types of exterior bins. They are tall, which prevents vermin and pests from entering the bin, and are secured with a decent fitting lid.

But the main advantage of the wheelie bin is how easy they are to move around by both the resident and the collection team. They are can also be manufactured in multiple colours which is crucial if multiple bins are provided for different materials for recycling.

However, the procedure to wheel out several bins for collection every week or fortnight may be unpopular with local residents. It may also be impractical for apartment blocks or for streets where there is little room on the pavement – and the bins themselves could even become a hazard.

Is dustbin about to make a comeback

The traditional method of refuse collectors entering a property to collect the dustbin may seem an outdated practice but some local authorities are turning back to this method for less frequent collections, such as garden waste. Often, in these sorts of situations, a lidded outdoor bin is often a better solution as they are easier to carry and less cumbersome.