Imrubbish Bins Blog » waste bin

Avoiding Bin Smells – Rubbish and Hygiene Tips

Richard N Williams — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:40:32 +0000

There is nothing worse than a smelly bin. If it’s outside the home it can cause a nuisance to neighbours, attract vermin and make your home unpleasant to visitors, while a stinky bin inside the home will make the whole house smell and can take ages to air.

The biggest weapon against bin smells is the bin lid, a poorly fitting lid is the cause of many unnecessary bin smells. If a kitchen or exterior bin has a decent lid then the majority of smells can be avoided. These types of bin often contain the smelliest of waste such as kitchen scraps, soiled nappies and so on, but if they are stored in a receptacle with a tight enough lid the smells shouldn’t creep out.

Kitchen bins, for instance need to have a decent lid that fits snugly, this does have the problem of having to frequently open the bin, but an open bin in the kitchen will stink in next to no time. Nappy bins are another example and these have snugly-fitting lids to ensure no unpleasant smells escape.

Keeping a bin clean is another cause for bin smells and often they can get neglected when it comes to cleaning. Both the interior and exterior of a bin needs cleaning on a regular basis, many people give them a good wipe with a damp cloth every time they are emptied and normally this is enough to ensure they stay clean.

For bins which have to endure a lot of smelly waste, bin deodorizers will help prevent the smells from becoming too overpowering when the bin is emptied. Bin deodorizers are good for kitchen bins too if you have been cooking with stronger smelling ingredients than usual.

Another sure-fire way of reducing bin smells is to ensure they are emptied frequently enough. Food waste that has been left for a week is going to have become rotten and will inevitably smell, so ensuring the kitchen bin is emptied on a frequent enough basis will reduce the risks of bin smells causing the house to stink.

Bins for the Toilets, Bathrooms and Washrooms

Richard N Williams — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:04:01 +0000

Bins for different locations have to be deigned with different parameters. Bins for kitchens, for instance, need to have tight fitting lids to prevent smells, while recycling bins need some sort of colour-coding to enable identification so the right waste goes into the right bin.

Bins for bathrooms, toilets and washrooms are no different. And whether you are in need of a bathroom bin for the home or bins for busy public washrooms, there are several aspects that need to be considered.

Type of Waste

As with most bins the type of waste that goes into a bin is the fundamental element that defines the design and type of bin required. Much of the waste that goes into bathroom bins, whether at home or in public, are items like tissues, empty toilet rolls and paper towels. For these types of items, the bathroom bin only needs to be very basic – just a receptacle large enough to hold such waste.

However, there are other items that are disposed of in bathrooms and toilet facilities, and these need more consideration.

Sanitary Bins

There are many items used in a bathroom or toilet facility that require secure, hygienic storage. Any items disposed of with bodily fluids such as feminine towels or razors, especially in a public location need to be stored hygienically and securely. Sanitary bins have been designed for such a purpose.

Sanitary bins, are deigned to prevent access by hands or items from spilling out if the bin is knocked over. They are also designed to allow hygienic emptying without the need for people to handle the waste.

Most public washrooms will require both sanitary bins for the cubicles, and waste bins to collect the paper towels and other bathroom waste.

Nappy Bins

Bathroom areas are not the only place where bins of a sanitary nature are needed. Households with young children, nurseries, hospitals and even family hotels, often need nappy bins for parents who use traditional washable nappies. These more eco-friendly baby nappies are having a resurgence as more and more people realise the environmental impact of disposables.

Nappy bins provide a secure receptacle that allows the soiled nappies to be stored until they are washed with a tight fitting lid to prevent smells, and a large enough capacity are all important features of a good nappy bin.

65l nappy bin

Bins for the Kitchen – Variety and Practicality

Richard N Williams — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:45:15 +0000

The busiest area of the home is undoubtedly the kitchen. It is the location where most of the household tasks are completed: cooking, cleaning and washing clothes etc. And the kitchen is also the area that contains the busiest bin in the home.

Kitchen bins are the most important bin around the home. Not just because they are so busy, but nearly every type of waste, including food, is disposed into them. Food waste, in particular, can cause problems with smells, so ensuring the kitchen bin is appropriate will prevent your home from having nasty odours about the place.

The one essential aspect of a kitchen bin is therefore the lid. The lid will prevent any odours from escaping so all bins for the kitchen should have one, but the lid itself can cause its own problems.

A lot of what we do in the kitchen involves food and when we dispose of food waste this means we have to raise the bin lid, and the bin is not the most hygienic object in the home, no matter how often it’s cleaned. The result is that most of us spend our time going to and fro from the sink, every time we have used the bin.

There are several solutions to this problem but the traditional methods have their own problems. The first is the trusty pedal bin which has been around for years. The foot pedal raises the lid so you don’t have to handle the bin but the downside is that you have to feel around for the pedal which can be cumbersome in the middle of cooking.

Another method has been the swing lid where the weight of the food dropped into the bin causes the lid to swing out of the way. This, however, means the lid is never snugly fitted as it needs to be loose enough to swing and it can get very grubby with all that food bouncing off it.

A more modern and practical solution is the sensor bin. These kitchen bins have sensors that raise the battery operated lid when you approach. These are ideal for the cook because not only do you avoid handling the bin but the lid is snug enough to prevent smells and food waste never has to touch it so the bin remains clean.

Sensor Bin - opens automatically

Rubbish on the Streets

Richard N Williams — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:44:24 +0000

The streets of the UK are awash with rubbish at the moment. So many areas, from Birmingham to Exeter, Milton Keynes to Thame, mountains of rubbish remains uncollected – some areas not having a collection for over a month.

Caused by the winter weather disruption and council strikes, the waste is becoming a problem in many areas, attracting vermin and providing an unsightly hazard for residents. And many home-owners are feeling rightly aggrieved at having paid their council tax bills, while the local authorities are failing to provide the services they have been paid to do.

Waste left on the streets can cause a myriad of problems. Not only is it unsightly, with mountains of bin bags dumped on corners, but it can have further consequences too. Vermin is attracted to rubbish and many of the uncollected bin bags are ripped open as cats, foxes and even rats scavenge for food.

And while many areas now have wheelie bins, these barely have enough space for one weeks worth of rubbish, let alone a months worth, with the result being bin bags piling up on the streets next to the packed wheelie bins.

While councils have promised to clear the streets of rubbish over the next few weeks, many local authorities may suffer in the forthcoming local elections as disgruntled residents mark their protests in the ballot box.

And with more and more rubbish being collected each year, this is a problem that may soon become common, especially as Coalition cuts may generate more strikes and forecasters suggest harsher winters may be more frequent in the future.

But what can house-holders do to help alleviate the problem? Well one way is to ensure you recycle as much as possible. If you don’t already own any its perhaps a good time to buy recycling bins. By recycling we can drastically reduce much of the waste we throw away and its not just the obvious paper and glass that can be recycled too.

Metal, plastic bottles (in some areas) and food waste can all be recycled rather than thrown away in the rubbish bin. As recycling bins tend to be colour coded, they are simple and easy to use, taking little getting used to.

By using recycling bins you can drastically reduce the waste you throw away and can help prevent the build up of waste that is now littering our streets.

Recycling at Work

Richard N Williams — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 18:04:34 +0000

The workplace generates a lot of waste. No matter whether you work in an office, warehouse, factory or outside, waste is a natural by-product of nearly every occupation.

A lot of what we throw away when we are at work, however, can be recycled and it is increasingly important that we think abut the environment when we are at work – especially considering the amount of time many of us spend there.

One of the biggest wastages in the workplace is the amount of paper we get through. Even though everything is computerised these days, we still are using just as much – if not more – paper than ever.

And not enough of us are recycling it either and this is a terrible waste as paper is one of the easiest of our resources to recycle. Recycling bins and paper recycling bins should be in the corner of nearly every office. So much paper gets thrown away that if all workplaces ensured it went in the recycling bin it would make a huge difference in the waste that ends up on landfill sites – and the number of trees cut down.

Cup collector

But its no just paper that is a nuisance to the environment. Many workplaces have vending machines and while these are very convenient for a quick cuppa the plystyrene and plastic cups that are used mainly end up on landfills – where they can longer for decades.

These can be recycled and many vending machine manufacturers are using more eco friendlier materials to make the little cups from. Placing cup collectors near the vending machines and canteen to catch the empties will ensure that these extremely numerous cups end up recycled not in the rubbish bin.

Cans from vending machines, too, can be recycled; can collectors will ensure the empties get taken away for recycling.

There are other ways of being a little more eco friendly at work too, such as making use of email and electric means rather than the printer and making sure you don’t waste paper unnecessarily. The culmination of this, and all other recycling tips is that less rubbish gets chucked away in the skip or external bin.

The Grim Side of Bins

Richard N Williams — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:57:36 +0000

Over the last few weeks, the wheelie bin has become the centre of some unwanted attention after a woman was filmed placing a cat into it, seemingly for no reason. The story went around the world and the woman was (quite rightly) condemned from all directions; however, this incident was not isolated and the sad fact of the matter is, that bins, and in particular wheelie bins have been used for all sorts of sinister purposes over the years, and the latest incident is only one of several grim tales.

Animals are commonly found dumped in bins and the latest story at least had a happy ending in that the cat was retrieved safe and well, but many animals are found in public bins and not all of them are alive. Yet, it gets worse. New born and unwanted babies are also commonly found in bins – the Americans even have a term for it: ‛trash can baby’

It is because bins, especially large ones like wheelie bins have a lid and are unused for long periods of time that people use them for such sad reasons but wheelie bins have also been used for even grimmer purposes.

Several bodies have been discovered in wheelies bins, not to mention body parts, although this is often a mistake by the criminal as they are good places to preserve evidence as the bin lid keeps the elements away, making it easier for police to track the culprits.

Contraband, such as drugs and guns, are often discovered in outdoor and public bins too, and terrorists have been known to use them to hide explosive devices in – often in busy public areas to cause large scale mayhem. In areas like these it is common to see simple sack holders with transparent bags being used as bins to prevent anything sinister being planted and hidden in them.

Bins themselves have also been known to cause incidents too. Because burnable material like waste paper is often disposed of in bins, they can easily catch alight which is why in many places like hotels, hospitals and other pubic buildings, fire retardant bins are used.

Despite all these grim associations with bins, they are a real necessity and we would be awash with litter, rubbish and detritus without them. So next time somebody buts something in a rubbish bin – lets not blame the bin.

Internal Bins – Style, Convenience and Practicality

Richard N Williams — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:22:57 +0000

While few people planning the interior of a home or business pays much attention to the rubbish bins, often this can be a mistake as no home or business can function without one. There are bins in almost every room of most homes and no matter what type of business or building you work in – you will need some where to dispose of your rubbish.

Waste bins play an important role but that doesn’t mean that they have to look drab or unsightly – the right interior bin can make all the difference to the décor of a room and can be both practical and suited to the style.

Home Bins

For bins around the home it is important to remember that different rooms have different practicalities. Kitchen bins, for instance, need to contain smells, house food waste and be larger enough to cope with a busy household’s waste. A good fitting lid and made from an easy to clean material like stainless steel is important but that doesn’t mean they can’t look good and there are many stylized and designer bins for the kitchen.

Other bins around the home tend to only house paper and other dry waste so lids and being easy to clean are less important and the bins can be even more stylized. Designer bins, retro or even novelty bins can be used in differing room.

Fire retardant bins

Office Bins

For businesses and around the office practicality is also important. Size and the type of bin are important to ascertain; it needs to be big enough to cope with the waste produced in between emptying while it also has to be practical to use – not taking up too much space. Often wall mounted bins are used in business as they can’t get accidentally knocked over.

Public Bins

With public bins there is another aspect to consider – safety. Ensuring the bin is safe is important. For this reason many public buildings have fire retardant bins and use transparent sack holders to prevent the possibility of the bin being used to hide contraband or explosives. Ensuring the bin is secure in any public building is also important so wall mounted bins tend to be used here too.

Rubbish Bins – Importance of Design

Richard N Williams — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:13:08 +0000

Many of us may think of the humble waste bin as just a simple receptacle for throwing our rubbish in; however, there are a wide variety of different types of rubbish bin, all designed for different tasks and purposes.

Design is highly important when it comes to selecting the right type of waste bin. So when you are looking to buy a rubbish bin, whether its for the home, business or institution, there are several aspects of bin design you should look out for.

Practicality

The most important facet of any bin is its practicality. However it is to be used it needs to be practical. When you are looking to buy a bin think about how it will be used – is it high enough and easy to throw waste in?

The size too is highly important. Think how much waste will go in and how often it will be emptied. If it is too small you can end up with an overflowing bin while too large a bin can be difficult to empty and handle.

Lids

The lid is highly important on many rubbish receptacles. While waste paper bins don’t need them your kitchen will soon reek if the kitchen bin doesn’t have a decent lid. The design of the lid here is important for practicality too.

A kitchen bin should have a pedal operated lid or another method that prevents you from having to touch it; sensor bins are the latest method for hands free bin use.

Durability

If it is an outdoor bin it needs to be durable. Not only has it got to sit out in all weathers and be manhandled by the refuse collectors, but also it needs to be sturdy enough so that vermin can’t it over or remove the lid. If it is a pubic area it perhaps should be floor or a wall mounted bin to prevent vandalism.

Bins can be stylish and practical

Style

Style is also an important facet for bin design, especially for those we around the home. Nearly every room has a waste bin sat in the corner so it needs to fit in with the décor and style of home. Some really nice designer bins are available manufactured from a wide range of materials, these can be proudly displayed rather than half-hidden behind the furniture.

Food Disposal and Waste Management

Richard N Williams — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:46:20 +0000

Disposing of so much food brings with it many problems but many of those can be solved by good waste management and the correct rubbish bin.

The amount of food that is disposed of waste bins in the UK alone, is staggering. Shops and takeaways dispose of 1.6 million tonnes of food each year; manufactures dispose of nearly 5 million tonnes; whilst us consumers, dispose of a whopping 4.1m tonnes a year.*

Not only does all this waste provide ethical issues, especially when so many people in the world do not get enough food, but also it causes many health and hygiene problems too.

Food waste can create smells and attract vermin and pests which bring with them health issues and have the potential to close down businesses and ruin reputations.

Waste Management

The waste management of food items is highly important, especially for businesses as an infestation of cockroaches, rats,. Mice; or an outbreak of e.coli or salmonella or other infection could lead to a closure of the business – and a fine too.

Ensuring food waste is disposed if is therefore highly important but the waste management of food items isn’t complicated and circles around the waste bins used to store the food waste.

Rubbish Bins for Food Waste

Rubbish bins for food can be classed in two varieties:

Indoor bins – where food is thrown away whilst it is being worked with
Outdoor bins – where the food is stored until collection by the waste management contractor.

Indoor bins – these need to be large enough to store the day’s contents until it is disposed in the main food waste bin outside. An overfull bin will lead to smells and spillages, both of which can cause problems. The two key areas of a good indoor bin or kitchen bin are:

Easy to clean – stainless steel bins are by far the best solution
Good fitting lid – prevent the smells and odours from escaping

Stainless steel bins are easy to clean

Outdoor bins – need other facets. A good fitting lid is equally essential but it also has to be strong enough to prevent vermin from gaining access; as does the entire bin, if it easily knocked over it can lead to problems.

* (Source: Tristram Stuart, author of Waste)

Rubbish Tips Around the Home – The Kitchen

Richard N Williams — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:16:47 +0000

Each year, every household in the UK gets rid of about one tonne of rubbish. From kitchen scraps and waste containers to old newspapers and tin cans, a myriad of items are thrown away by each-and-every-one of us.

Coping with all this rubbish is down to the humble dustbin, wheelie bin or household bin. But things have been complicated in recent years with the need to recycle, fortnightly bin collections and restrictions to the amount of waste some households in the country are permitted to throw away.

All this has made getting rid of household rubbish a complicated task. Having to use different bins for recycling, trying to avoid pests and smells, and keeping on top of the household waste can be a chore. But here are some tips to make dealing with your rubbish problems a whole load easier:

Kitchen

Perhaps the busiest bin in the house. Nearly everything gets chucked into the kitchen bin from food scraps to old cartons, tins and wrappers. One of the biggest problems with kitchen bins is the mess and smell they can produce. But there are simple ways to reduce this. Firstly, a good tight fitting lid is a must for any kitchen bin. This will prevent smells but the lid does pose other problems.

As we frequently cook in the kitchen, touching the bin is unhygienic – so rather than frequent hand-washing you should consider a pedal bin, swing-top or even a sensor bin. Sensor bins are fantastic as they open and shut automatically, sensing when you are near and raising the lid just in time.

Sensor Bin - opens automatically

Recycling bins

To make that task of separating different items into different bins consider buying recycling bins.

Many of these are colour coded so you can separate waste before you have to put it into the different recycling receptacles outside. And if you haven’t room for several different bins – think about a double triple compartment recycling bin which are a convenient and space saving way of separating waste.

Bin deodorisers

All kitchen bins should be cleaned regular to prevent smells but a great way of ensuring your kitchen doesn’t stink of rubbish is to use a bin deodoriser. Bin deodorizers ensure your bin smells fresh and clean – no matter what you have been throwing away.