Daniel Coulon, Director, National Association of Wheeled Bin Washers (NAWBW), reports.
Wheelie bins have been big news this summer with the Mayor of New York announcing a 'trash revolution' in the city. Of course, this technology is nothing new to us Brits, with wheelie bins having been in widespread use across the UK for decades.
The wheelie bin is thought to have been invented in 1968 and spread rapidly from the 1980s in the UK as waste disposal lorries used technology that automatically lifted and tipped the bin to deposit the waste. As a result, most homes and many businesses, hospitals, shops and other places use them.
What has changed recently over here is the surge in demand for commercial bin cleaning, which is now at an all time high. There has been significant growth in the national and international demand for services and equipment, with the result that the UK bin cleaning sector is thriving.
In the last few years, we’ve seen increased demand for commercial bin cleaning in the private sector, from care homes, shopping centres, airports, hotels, sporting and music venues nationwide, and this trend has only accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic. Now are seeing demand for bin cleaning surge among local authorities and NHS trusts as well.
The increase in public sector demand follows Environmental Agency guidance specifying that NHS trusts waste containers must be inspected before each reuse to make sure that they have been cleaned and disinfected. The Government has also fined some NHS trusts which do not clean their commercial bins regularly and responsibly.
Two main approaches are being taken to fulfilling these requirements. One approach is to contract out the role. Some NHS trusts are now insisting their waste contractors include regular onsite bin cleaning when putting together tenders for services while others are employing a specialist bin cleaning companies to do the work.
Specialist companies use purpose-built state-of-the-art bin cleaning equipment, approved biodegradable germ and bacteria-killing chemicals and have professionally trained staff equipped with the correct PPE.
Bins are cleaned on a range of frequencies depending on whether they are used for recycling and general waste bins or food waste. Some bin cleaning companies with the most advanced equipment can also wash yellow hazardous waste bins onsite. Bin cleaning subcontractors are expected to responsibly deal with wastewater and dispose of it in an approved manner.
As a result of these developments, many UK bin cleaning companies are investing heavily in purpose-built equipment, much of it manufactured here in the UK by NAWBW-approved manufacturers.
The second approach being taken by local authorities and NHS Trusts is to buy equipment to wash their bin stock in-house. Static bin cleaning systems are more environmentally friendly and safer for operators. As an association, we are pleased to see local authorities and NHS Trusts starting to take bin hygiene seriously.
Unfortunately, there are no funds or grants included in this drive to encourage responsible commercial bin hygiene and we would like to see more financial assistance given to the NHS and local authorities to allow commercial bin-cleaning equipment to be installed across the piste.
I am proud to say that the UK bin cleaning industry is a world-leader in the field and has been copied across Europe, Australia and North America. We have been at the forefront of manufacturing commercial bin cleaning equipment for the last couple of decades, with overseas companies buying their equipment largely from UK based manufacturers.
www.nawbw.co.uk
About the contributor
Daniel Coulon
Director
National Association of Wheeled Bin Washers (NAWBW)