Wheelie Bin Fires: Not a Good Thing!

Wheelie bin fires are an issue that blights areas across the breadth and depth of our little island nation. Luckily for us, Mark Coupar from Ely Fire Station has provided some handy hints on how to reduce the risk of your wheelie bin being set ablaze.

•    Do not place hot items in the bin, for example spent embers from a spent coal/wood fire
•    Put your wheelie bin out early in the morning of the collection, rather than late at night
•    Take your bin from the kerbside as soon as possible after collection
•    Help out your neighbour – bring their bin in for them if needed
•    Store your bin away from your house but within the boundary of your property

Although most of this advice is common sense, a sadly dwindling commodity in the current zeitgeist, it is similar to the generic council policies on how to operate your wheelie bin if you don’t wish to be fined for improper use. Therefore, we decided to add a few of our own.

•    Leave your wheelie bin out at night, stow yourself in the bin and don a scary clown mask. When you hear the approach of delinquent firebugs, jump out, and in your most fearsome voice cry “Leave my wheelie bin alone”.
•    Try not to douse your wheelie bin in petrol, particularly when it is located near an open fire.
•    Do not feed your wheelie bin a high-fat diet; it could lead to spontaneous combustion.
•    Try to discourage your wheelie bin from taking up smoking. If it snoozes after a rubbish day while smoking, it’s done for!
•    If your wheelie bin is out at night, make sure you have an agreed time at which it will return and ensure it has a mobile phone so you can always contact it. Binnapping is a serious problem and many of our wheeled friends meet a fiery end.

At getWheelieBins we always welcome any suggestions so if you think we’ve missed any guidelines for preventing wheelie bin destruction, fire them over to us!