Friday 4 May, 2018
Winter
is fast approaching and with residents beginning to light their fires to keep
the chill at bay, the Ashburton District Council is advising people not to put
hot ashes in their wheelie bins.
“Hot
ashes going straight into a wheelie bin can melt the bin and cause a fire,
which could spread,” Ashburton District Council Waste Recovery Manager Craig
Goodwin says.
“We’re
encouraging people to let ashes cool for at least five days before bagging them
and putting them in their red wheelie bin.”
While
the Council is not aware of any local cases where bins have melted due to hot
ashes, this will be the first time that the new wheelie bin system has been
operational during winter.
“The
system has been going for seven months now, and residents have really taken it
in their stride in terms of understanding how to use the bins and what goes in
each one. With the cooler season now almost here, we just want to ensure that
residents are aware of hot ashes being a potential hazard, as it may not have
been something that they had considered.”
For
more information on what items can and can’t go in each wheelie bin and crate,
check the ‘Bin it Right’ handbook, which was delivered with the wheelie bins,
or view a digital version online. Copies are
also available at the Council office, 5 Baring Square West, Ashburton.