News Roundup

Wet Wipe Island on the Thames

A 180-tonne “island” of congealed wet wipes has formed near Hammersmith Bridge — the size of two tennis courts and a metre high. Thames Water is using an 8-ton excavator to remove it, but the bigger issues are people flushing wipes containing plastic and storm overflows bypassing treatment. Police are even trialling “spike-trap” devices to trace repeat sewer blockers back to households — with fines a possibility.

Waste Crime Crackdown in Lincolnshire

The Environment Agency has confiscated £75,000 from illegal operators, but what’s new is fining machine drivers and waste hauliers too. With landfill tax now £126/tonne, waste crime is profitable, but prosecuting the whole chain could hit harder.

Food Waste Costs Families £90/Month

In Wales, the average family bins nearly £1,000 of food a year — even with collections available. Research shows 80% could have been eaten. Alasdair notes that separating food often makes households realise just how much they waste.

North Ayrshire’s Reuse Row

A political spat erupted after second-hand mattresses and furniture were reused for council homes. Critics called it undignified, but Alasdair argues it’s common sense: cleaning and reusing good items gives them a second life and keeps them out of landfill.

Pannage Pigs in the New Forest

Hundreds of pigs have been released for the annual season to eat acorns, toxic to ponies and cattle. With new food waste collections, concerns are rising they’ll target bins too — proving that “pannage season can be carnage.”

Topic: Waste Collection Methods

Alasdair and Jane explore how household collections evolved over 200 years.

In the early 1800s, waste was dumped in streets and rivers, fuelling cholera outbreaks until the Public Health Act (1848) made councils responsible. “Dust yards” collected coal ash and cinders, reused in brick-making and farming.

Milestones since:

• Late 19th century: councils built incinerators, many later closed over air pollution.

• Wartime austerity: repair and reuse were the norm.

• 1950s–70s boom: disposable goods and packaging took over.

• 1980s–90s: heavy bins and fragile black sacks gave way to wheelies, with safer lifting gear.

Today’s methods:

• Kerbside sort (e.g. Wales): higher quality recycling, but slower.

• Wheelie bins: multiple streams, used across most of the UK.

• Communal systems: common in flats/Europe, sometimes with ID-card access.

• Automated vehicles: used in rural/commercial settings to cut labour costs.

The hidden cost? In 2018, household waste services cost £154 per household per year — about 7p in every £1 of council tax. Crews face expensive vehicles, routing challenges, and health/safety risks (think gas canisters or lithium batteries).

Key takeaway: From ash bins to wheelie bins, collection has always adapted. But one simple fix we missed? Standardising bin colours nationwide to cut confusion.

Rubbish Rant (Well… Not Quite!)

This week, Alasdair broke tradition — no rant, just positivity.

Fresh from the resource management show at the NEC, he found the sector buzzing: packed talks, busy stands, and a real sense of momentum.

Key takeaway: Waste isn’t just about problems — it’s about innovation, collaboration, and the energy driving us forward.