Black Wheelie Bin - Frequently Asked Questions
Please take a look at our frequently asked questions (FAQs) which answer many of the questions that have already been raised by you.
- What should I do if I need a larger bin?
- Who is responsible for cleaning my bin/boxes?
- Should I leave the lid on my wheeled bin open or closed when I put it out for collection?
- How will I be able to recognise which wheeled bin is mine after it has been emptied?
- Will there be problems with smells and flies in the black wheeled bins?
- I have steps up/down to my property and cannot get the wheeled bin up/down these. Do I still have to have a wheeled bin?
- Where should I store my wheeled bin?
- Should I still put a sack in the new black wheeled bin?
What should I do if I need a larger bin?
As we are now able to recycle the majority of your waste, most households will be able to get their remaining waste in the bin provided. A larger bin can be offered to residents who, due to special circumstances, are unable to accommodate all of their non recyclable waste in one 140 litre bin per week.
For example:
- Large families - where there are five or more persons living at an address
- Medical conditions - where a member of the household suffers from ill health and a single 140 litre bin is insufficient.
If you would like to apply for a larger bin, please contact us on 0121 704 8000 or complete the larger bin application form and return it via post to:
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Waste Management Team
Central Depot
Moat Lane
Solihull
West Midlands
B91 2LW
Once we receive the form, we will deliver the larger wheelie bin within five working days. Please ensure that your smaller bin is empty and ready for collection. Unfortunately, we cannot deliver a lager bin if the smaller one is not available for collection.
If you do not have special circumstances, and you are still unable to accommodate all of their non recyclable waste in one 140 litre bin per week. There are other ways in which you can recycle more and reduce your waste.
Who is responsible for cleaning my bin/boxes?
It is your responsibility to keep your bin and/or box clean. The frequency and how you clean the bin is up to you.
We recommend that you continue to place your waste in small bags or liners before placing it in your wheeled bin in order to keep it as clean as possible.
Should I leave the lid on my wheeled bin open or closed when I put it out for collection?
All wheeled bin lids should be closed when they are left out for collection. This prevents the risk of spillage as the bin is being emptied. It also deters animals from attacking the rubbish, generating unwanted litter.
Open lids also present a greater risk of damage to bins and injury to one of our refuse collectors.
How will I be able to recognise which wheeled bin is mine after it has been emptied?
Please identify your wheelie bin with your house number or name. This will make it much easier for you and our refuse collectors to identify and return the correct bin to the property they collected it from.
Will there be problems with smells and flies in the black wheeled bins?
By handling your waste responsibly and wrapping food waste you will prevent smells and spillage.
Smells can be minimised by:
- tying rubbish securely in bags
- you may wish to occasionally use a cleaner or bin deodoriser product
To clean the inside of your wheeled bin, simply lie it down and swill out with water.
I have steps up/down to my property and cannot get the wheeled bin up/down these. Do I still have to have a wheeled bin?
We appreciate that not all properties within the borough are able to accommodate a wheelie bin. These properties may include, for example, those that cannot be accessed without walking up or down steps, or flats above shops that do not have any access to ground floor storage.
If your property has been identified as being unsuitable you will receive purple sacks instead of a wheelie bin.
- Please place your purple sack at the edge of your property, where it meets the pavement, by 7am on your normal collection day.
- Your purple sacks are for the disposal of general household waste - really all that’s left after you have recycled.
- You will receive enough purple sacks so that you can put two to three sacks out each week. This is the same capacity as the black wheelie bin.
Where should I store my wheeled bin?
Your bin can be stored anywhere on your property - whichever location suits you best.
Where possible though, we would recommend you store it somewhere secure between collections to prevent it from getting lost, stolen or possibly vandalised.
To ensure your waste is collected, it should be put out by 7.00am on the scheduled day, at your normal collection point. It should not be put out any earlier than the night before collection.
Should I still put a sack in the black wheeled bin?
You can use sacks in the new wheeled bins. Carrier bags are also useful to wrap waste in to avoid spillage.
Sacks and/or bags should not be compressed or wedged into the bin though as this will create problems for our refuse collectors when they come to tip the bin for emptying and may result in your bin not being emptied.