All posts tagged: bin

I was fined £500 after putting a coffee cup in a rubbish bag next to a full bin | Consumer affairs

I was fined £500 after putting a coffee cup in a rubbish bag next to a full bin | Consumer affairs

Published by Sam Flores

I was outside London Waterloo railway station and was looking for a bin to dispose of an empty coffee cup. The only bin I could see was completely full, but there was a plastic bag containing rubbish at the base. I put my cup in that bag and was stopped by an enforcement officer, who had been standing at a distance watching the bin. He told me I had violated the law and refused my offer to remove my cup. He asked for my details, including my passport. After printing out a penalty notice, he remained in the same spot watching the overflowing bin. It seemed like a set-up. I discovered I had been fined £500, payable within 28 days and reduced to £325 if paid within 14 days. There is no right of appeal, and failure to pay could result in prosecution and a £2,500 penalty. Can you advise me? CP, Winchester I have been reporting – with mounting alarm – on the large fines being handed out by councils for littering. Deliberate littering, …

How Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani built Qatar’s soft power | GCC News

How Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani built Qatar’s soft power | GCC News

Published by Sam Flores

The leader known as Qatar’s father emir was able to redefine his nation’s position on the political map of the Middle East. Published On 12 Jul 202612 Jul 2026 From a tiny state struggling to survive to a country punching above its weight with soft power, wealth and influence felt in the region and beyond, Qatar and its success story were propelled by late Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Sheikh Hamad, who died on Sunday aged 74, was able to redefine Qatar’s position on the political map of the Middle East, moving it from the margins of the Gulf to regional prominence in the political, diplomatic, national and humanitarian fields, relying on his vision that transcended the country’s modest size and narrow borders. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Those who knew Sheikh Hamad said he was aware, even before assuming power in 1995, of his country’s lack of traditional elements of strength and understood the need to invest in soft power. From the early days of his reign, he …

‘Sobbing’ mum arrested as baby boy dumped in bin alive dies | World | News

‘Sobbing’ mum arrested as baby boy dumped in bin alive dies | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

A woman in America has been arrested for murder nearly nine years after her baby was found abandoned in a bin. Dominique Harrison, 28, of Danbury, in Connecticut, sobbed in court on Monday, as prosecutors alleged that she dumped her baby in the bin while he was still alive. The incident happened in 2018, shortly after Ms Harrison had given birth. The baby’s remains were discovered at a waste collection centre based in Stamford, approximately 30 miles away. According to Fox 61, Deputy Assistant State Attorney Mary Caitlin Harding told the judge: “The case before you paints a picture of a level of depravity that is nearly inconceivable. “The defendant here is charged with murdering her newborn son in a manner that is particularly heinous. The facts allege she put that newborn baby son alive in a dumpster in a remote area so that no one could save that baby’s life.” It is unknown which of the many bin trucks that pass through the waste collection plant disposed of the baby’s body. Officials had originally …

Chinese Archaeologist Liu Bin Pleads Guilty to Corruption Charges

Chinese Archaeologist Liu Bin Pleads Guilty to Corruption Charges

Published by Jenni Sidey

Liu Bin, the Chinese archaeologist widely known for his work at the ancient city at Liangzhu, the so-called Venice of the Stone Age, pleaded guilty on May 20 to charges of taking bribes and embezzling research funds, Caixin Global reports. In the trial, which took place at Suichang County People’s Court in Zhejiang Province, Liu was accused of accepting more than 4.65 million yuan (about $690,000) in bribes and embezzling 300,000 yuan (about $45,000) from a research project related to the civilization at Liangzhu, reports Caixin, noting that he was detained by the authorities in December 2025 and arrested in February. Related Articles No penalty has been announced. After studying archaeology at Jilin University, Liu joined the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in 1985, later becoming deputy director and then director. He oversaw the excavation of Tomb No. 12 at Liangzhu in 1986 and then discovered the ruins of the city in 2007. China has argued, based on that find, that the lower Yangtze region was home to one of the earliest …

Bin man urges people to stop numbering bins wrong | UK | News

Bin man urges people to stop numbering bins wrong | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

In one video, a viewer claimed bin men never return bins to the correct house, saying they should consider adding a post code to them so they get back to the right homes. Responding to this, Ashley urged people to have their house number on both their homes and their bins so they can be matched up. He added that, on food bins, it’s best to add them on both the lid and the side, saying they often fall onto their side. “But your wheelie bin, put it on the lid,” he urged people, as he showed a bin with a sticker showing the house number it belongs to. “Don’t put it on the side, put it on the lid so no matter where you’re standing, you can always see the number.” “And then they go back outside your house, problem solved,” Ashley said. “House number, bin number, win win.” However, people soon took to the comments section to share their own thoughts, as many argued it ‘wasn’t necessary’ to add the numbers. One suggested …

Binman says ‘do not’ put extremely common item in your bin

Binman says ‘do not’ put extremely common item in your bin

Published by Sam Flores

Binmen could leave your rubbish behind on collection day if they spot this (Image: Getty) A binman claims that people who try to hide an item commonly found in many UK homes in the bin on collection day could have their rubbish left on the kerbside. He explained all on social media in a recent post. There are several ways to properly dispose of an old carpet or rug, says Ashley, who goes by @Theno1.binman on TikTok. He said: “Carpets? You do not put them in the bin. They are too big. They are a bulky item, so you do not put carpets in any of your household bins.” Why can’t carpets go in the bin? Carpets cannot go in regular household bins because they are bulky, heavy, non-biodegradable, and difficult to process, which creates issues at landfills and recycling facilities. They are considered specialised waste, and putting them in domestic bins can lead to non-collection or fines. Most carpets are made of synthetic fibres like nylon or polypropylene. These do not break down in …

Other countries can learn from the UK’s successful shift to fortnightly bin collections

Other countries can learn from the UK’s successful shift to fortnightly bin collections

Published by Sam Flores

The government has recently introduced simpler rules on recycling in England, planning to end the confusion of different types of waste being collected in different postcodes. Scotland and Northern Ireland already operate (or are updating) their own devolved recycling laws that are equivalent to England’s simpler recycling system. This should also mean the widespread introduction of weekly food waste collections across England and more separation of waste overall. But at the same time, there’s still some public concern about the main “black bin” rubbish collection shifting away from weekly to more infrequent pickups. For instance in Northampton, Thanet and South Gloucestershire, residents have recently been protesting over the frequency of their waste collections as well as over confusing changes, bins not being delivered and waste collections not happening on time. Meanwhile, in Australia, a recent switch by a local council from weekly to fortnightly waste collection attracted criticism from some local residents. Does the shift work? Many people across the UK now get their dustbins emptied every two weeks. In some cases the recycling bin …

MasterChef dads, compost and food banks: how I saved my recipe box leftovers from the bin | Food

MasterChef dads, compost and food banks: how I saved my recipe box leftovers from the bin | Food

Published by Sam Flores

Can I interest you in 23 sachets of soy sauce and half a kilo of golden linseed? If not, they’ll probably live quite happily in the back of my cupboard until a clear-out in 2032. The glut of organic potatoes, tomatoes, beetroot and aubergines I was left holding after my test to find the best recipe boxes and meal kits had a more limited shelf life. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Reduced waste is one of the top benefits of recipe box services, especially those that deliver only the exact measures of ingredients you need for the recipes you choose. But I tested nine of these services at once – including some that attempted to curry favour by sending me multiple boxes containing multiple recipes. I tried to minimise waste by distributing recipes to my extended family. When I gently nudged my 86-year-old dad, Don, to ease off the Sainsbury’s ready meals and do a little light cooking, he responded by …

Major bin rule changes for households in England from Tuesday | UK | News

Major bin rule changes for households in England from Tuesday | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Households across England are set for changes to their waste collections from March 31 (Image: rzelich via Getty Images) Households in England face new rules for bin collections starting from tomorrow (Tuesday, March 31) with up to four separate bins being rolled out for different kinds of waste. Households across the country could face a £400 fine if they incorrectly place certain things in their bins as the new rules come into force. There is a list of items you can not put in certain bins and officials are warning residents about bin misuse. Going forward, most households in England could need up to four separate bins or containers, raising concerns about where they will be stored in smaller premises. READ MORE: Man’s cheeky attempt to ‘bribe’ binmen with biscuits backfires READ MORE: Rubbish blighting Britain ‘grave concern’ after 9% rise under Labour From tomorrow, new mandatory collections will be rolled out and bin collectors across the country will now be required to collect waste categories separately. The UK Government says that from 31 March …