UK waste services warn on hot‑weather bin placement and prohibited garden waste items

A waste collector in South‑East England urged residents to keep food‑waste bins out of direct sunlight during the heatwave, warning that exposed bins can become breeding grounds for maggots, flies and rodents. He suggested simple shading solutions such as placing the bin under a bush, a chair or a towel.

Garden‑waste experts highlighted five items that should never be placed in council garden‑waste bins: soil, pet waste, invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed, food waste and plastics or rubble. They warned that these materials can damage collection equipment, contaminate compost and lead to council fines of up to £5,000.