Edinburgh bins: New rules will allow more flexibility over location of hubs

Strict application of a framework which banned people having to cross the road or walk more than 100 metres to reach their bin hub had led to the hubs - each consisting of six bins - being placed right outside people’s front doors or living room and bedroom windows.

There will now be more flexibility over the siting of bin hubs. | EEN

Protests by residents eventually led to proposals from the council to relax some of the rules. And the public gallery was packed as the transport and environment committee debated the proposed changes on Monday, after hearing from a series of deputations on the issue.

Committee convener Stephen Jenkinson went beyond the proposed package by accepting many of the amendments tabled by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, widening the scope of the changes.

Tory councillor Marie-Clair Munro said she was delighted with the end result and declared: “It’ a great win for the local residents.

“The framework was so restrictive and it meant officers had no wiggle room with regard to moving any of the bins.

“It’s disappointing it’s taken so long to get here, but it’s a win that we have managed to get the farmework changed, we are going to be able to get bins moved, we are going to do something about the noise of the glass bins, there is the possibility of splitting hubs, there will be the opportunity for the one house not to be burdened with six huge bins right outside their living room and bedroom windows.”

The proposed changes from the administration included lifting the ban on crossing the road under certain conditions - the road had to be in a 20mph zone, not exceed 10.5 metres in width, have clear sight lines and no history of accidents. And there had to be a pavement or grass area 1.5 metres wide where people could stand while using the bin. However a Tory amendment was accepted saying that where this was not possible, bins could be “arranged in such a way that allows a resident to stand in the safe space between two bins”.

The original proposals relaxed the maximum 100 metre walking distance to 120 metres. But another Conservative amendment accepted by the committee made a much more sweeping change, declaring the framework was “a set of ‘best case’ guidelines and that, with agreement and collaboration between residents, councillors, and officers, can allow for discretionary siting of a hub in such a way that may not conform with the framework due to the variations and requirements within different streets”.

And on the noise associated with glass recycling bins - a major aspect of residents’ complaints - the committee accepted amendments noting that regulations permitted no more than 41 decibels while the most effective mitigation scheme would still mean levels of up to 100 decibels, and declaring these “wholly unacceptable”.

And it was agreed officers would report on measures by which glass bins might be removed from bin hubs and sited instead in locations further from residential homes.

The administration also accepted a Lib Dem amendment declaring that bin hubs should be sited in locations which minimise the impacts of noise and odours and the impacts on privacy and outlook; and another that within 12 months installation of bin hubs in an area there would be a review of capacity requirements, based on collection data, with a view to potentially reducing the number of hubs.

Committee convener Stephen Jenkinson said it was clear that the framework for locating bin hubs had been too constrained and there was a need for more flexibility.

He said: “About 90 per cent of the bin hubs sites are fine. What we are looking to do is nudge that success rate to 95 per cent. We are likely to always have difficulties in certain areas. I think it’s important to listen to voices of community councils and other external stakeholders.”