Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council announces that bins will be collected an hour earlier during the summer

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has announced that household rubbish and recycling bins will be collected an hour earlier during the summer months.

From May 1 to August 31, borough residents will need to put their bins out by 6am rather than 7am.

The council has done this to reduce potential disruptions caused by hot weather and to allow collection crews to start earlier in the morning when it is cooler so they can avoid working during the hottest parts of the day.

Councillor Rebecca Bean said: “Collecting bins is a physically demanding role in any weather but during extreme heat it is important we consider the crew’s safety while also doing our best to avoid disruptions to bin collections.”

Bin crews are legally required to wear protective clothing in all weathers and during warmer summer months, crews become more exposed to heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke and dehydration, and become unwell while working.

The earlier start will reduce the potential risk of disruptions to bin collections caused by these heat-related illnesses.