Residents disgusted by overflowing bin

Most dog owners clean up responsibly after their dogs, but a minority of dog walkers will go to great lengths not to put their dog waste bags into their own bins.

If there is not a convenient bin handy, or a bin is full, they may dump it on the road, in the verge, or even in a surface water drain. As the photo illustrates some will even stack bags on a full bin in the vain hope that they will not fall off or blow to the floor, where they become very attractive to the curiosity of toddlers walking with parents and other dogs.

Short staffing or sickness can lead to a collection being missed, and the Borough Council confirms that this was why this particular black litter bin was full. “It was an unforeseen circumstance which ordinarily wouldn’t happen,” said a spokesperson for the Council. “The advice for anyone spotting an overflowing bin is to report a problem either via our website ( type into the search box report a litter bin), email streetsceneservices@hinckley-bosworth. gov.uk or call 01455 238141. If a litter bin is full and overflowing, dog walkers are asked either find another litter bin in the area or take the waste home and use their black household waste bin.”

When bins overflow operatives have to use litter pickers to handle individual bags. “Although staff are equipped with and the correct PPE to deal with this type of waste, over filled bins do become heavy to empty and may cause the bags to split,” added the spokesperson.

A dog walker who thinks their dog’s waste is too unpleasant or dangerous to put into their own bin can rightly express indignation that public bins can sometimes overflow. After all, they pay both the Borough Council to empty the black bins and the Parish Council to empty the red bins.

Ironically, although none of the residents living a few yards from this stinking bin are dog owners, they also pay for this service, but accept it as part of the give and take of living in a community where expenses are shared. Their appeal to dog owners would surely be to consider those who live nearby and if the bin is full please report it. Take your poo bag to another bin or home.

The Old Hall Farm Fishery on Newtown Linford Lane is also appealing to the minority of dog walkers that abandon bags, to take them home or to a bin. A facebook Spotted Groby posting said that whilst on the whole dog walkers using the public footpath across the private property are taking their dog bags away, some are dumped away from the footpath. The posting also reports “dogs off leads wondering off the footpath and messing anywhere,” even on grass used for animal feed. “We have put signage at either end of our property regarding this, but signs have been previously damaged or simply removed. The fishery on the property is non profit, so new signs and repairs have to come out of the monies raised for charities. Please respect the property as you use the public footpath, that's all we ask.”

Groby isn’t alone in having this problem. The Forestry Commission has said that it won’t be installing bins at Bignalls Wood, near Ashby, despite bags of excrement piling up at the entrance.

The organisation says it is too expensive and does not change dog walkers' behaviour. "In our experience of managing the nation's forests we have found even the presence of bins does not necessarily reduce litter or influence the behaviours of some visitors,” a spokesperson explained. “They are expensive to empty and use resources that we don’t have for this site."

Norman Griffiths