User:Wheeliebincrime

Wheelie Bin Crime

1. WHEELIE BINS - HISTORY

The modern plastic wheelie bin was invented by the Slough based company Frank Rotherham Mouldings on March 12th 1968. It was initially used only for the movement of refuse from one area to another inside the factory. However the novel design was spotted by a sharp eyed Health and Safety Inspector. He saw the potential to reduce the back injuries suffered by refuse collection operatives when lifting the heavy metal wheel-less design of bin which was common in Britain at the time.

However it wasn't until the late eighties that the reign of the wheelie bin truly began with the introduction of refuse collection lorries which automatic mechanisms to pick up and empty the bins. The rest as they say is history! Although actually the rest of the story is the present and that was the history part.

2. WHEELIE BINS - AND THE LAW

National and local government responsibilities Sections 44A and 44B were added by the Environment Act 1995 and require the development of National Waste Strategies for England and Wales, and Scotland respectively.

A typical wheelie bin household waste receptacle Section 45 requires waste collection authorities, usually local authorities, to collect household waste unless it is in an isolated location or arrangements can reasonably be expected to be made by the person who controls the waste. They must also collect commercial waste if requested to do so.

The authority can give a householder notice that waste must be disposed of in a specified receptacle, and in a specified manner (s.46). It is a crime to fail, without reasonable excuse, to observe such requirements. On summary conviction in a Magistrates' Court, an offender can be fined up to level 3 on the standard scale (s.46(6)). Authorities also have powers over receptacles for commercial and industrial waste (s.47). There is a system of fixed penalty notices for offences under these sections (ss.47ZA-47ZB). Where controlled waste is depositied on land within their responsibilities,authorities may give notice to the occupier to remove it (ss.59-59A). It is a crime to disturb or sort over, unless with consent, waste deposited for collection by the waste collection authority. On summary conviction in a Magistrates' Court, an offender can be fined up to level 5 on the standard scale (s.60).

From 31 December 2010, waste collection authorities in England must make arrangements for the separate collection of at least two types of recyclabe waste unless it would be unreasonably costly to do so (s.45A).

3. CASE EXAMPLE: With his rubbish collected only once a fortnight, Gareth Corkhill's wheelie bin was so full the lid wouldn't shut. And for that, the father of four finds himself with a criminal record. Magistrates convicted the 26-year-old bus driver after hearing evidence that the lid was four inches ajar, which is against rules to stop bins overflowing. He was ordered to pay £210 - a week's wages - after he declined to pay an on-the-spot fine imposed by the local council's bin police, who visited him wearing stab-proof vests and carrying photographic evidence of his crime. To add insult to injury he was told to pay a £15 victim surcharge to help victims of violence - despite there being no victim - and threatened with prison if he failed to pay.

WHEELIE BIN FIRES

It is now a commonplace occurance that wheelie bins are stolen and set on fire. What is worse is that bins are often set alight and then placed on cars causing the car go be burned out. Vandals will also place lighted bins close to buildings causeing house fires and these can be leathal.

4. Wheelie bin fires are up by 20% in some parts of the country. The fire service says wheelie bin fires waste millions of pounds and can cost lives.

5. Police across England have warned householders to be vigilant and to secure their bins. Bins, they advise, should not be left out on the street other than at their designated time of collection.

Areas that have seen a rise in wheelie bin fires include Chesterfield (Holmebrook and Rother, Sterland Street, Catherine Street and Bank Street). Fire officers in Leicestershire are urging residents to be vigilant due to an ongoing problem with wheelie bin fires across the county. Mitch Crane, watch manager at Western Fire Station, said the service had received more than 200 calls about wheelie bin fires in the past year.

WHEELIE BIN FIRE - CASE EXAMPLE

6. Police and fire crews were called to St Hugh’s Street in Lincoln at about 0100 GMT on Saturday.

A wheelie bin had been deliberately set on fire in an alleyway that provides access to a flat. No-one was injured.

A skip was also set on fire in the same road and further wheelie bin fires were reported on Arboretum View.

Police have asked anyone with information on the fires to contact them.

Steve Wright from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "The individuals who set light to this bin clearly don’t understand the consequences of their actions and the dangers involved.

"On this occasion, the people inside the property were trapped by the fire and had to be rescued. We will be assisting the police in any way we can to help apprehend those involved."

REFERENCES

1. The History of the Wheelie Bin, Accessed 12 May 2010: www.duck66.com

2. http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/index_en.htm

3. ^ Paul Sims & Steve Doughty (2008-04-22). "Father of four taken to court and fined ... because he overfilled his wheelie-bin by just four inches". Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-561037/Father-taken-court-fined---overfilled-wheelie-bin-just-inches.html.

4. www.bbc.co.uk/news, Reported: 28 / Nov / 2008. Accessed: 10 May 2010.

5. http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/news/2.html. Accessed: 23 Feb 2010.

6. news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lincolnshire/7188273.stm Accessed: 17 Mar 2010