The positioning of litter bins is carefully considered to ensure that they will not cause a hazard to highway users or be susceptible to vandalism.  The majority of litter bins are located in retail and leisure areas and near schools.  The locations of litter bins are regularly reviewed – if you think an area is in need of a litter bin / more bins please contact Streetscene on 01352 701234.

Each bin is programmed to be emptied depending on its usage:

• Town centre - litter bins are emptied between 2 and 3 times per day.
• Residential streets, shop frontages, parks – on a regular schedule.  

Most adopted streets and roads in Flintshire are swept on a regular basis (following a pre-planned schedule) using a combination of manual sweeping and sweeping vehicles.  Litter is removed to improve the visual appearance of an area, whereas leaf fall/debris is removed to prevent flooding and accidents.

How often they are swept depends on how widely used they are.  For example, busy town centres need sweeping more often than quiet residential areas.  The additional leaf fall during Autumn requires us to increase street sweeping in identified leaf fall areas to prevent flooding and slips / falls due to leaf accumulation.  Frequency:

• Footways in town and shopping areas – daily
• All other locations – once per annum
• A roads and Urban B class roads – 4 times per annum (mechanical sweeping)
• All other roads – once per annum (mechanical sweeping)

What we do not do

• We do not sweep roads where there is no kerb, as the sweeping erodes the verges and banks (leading to damage and flooding).
• Schools, colleges, hospitals, the (EA) Environment Agency and the rail authorities have a responsibility to clear litter and refuse from their own land.
• If a piece of private land is littered, the owner is responsible.  The Environmental Protection Act 1990 gives both councils and the public the right to take legal action to enforce others to clean up areas.