All News
HomeAbout usNews

Keeping our estates tidy together

17/09/2025

Keeping our community clean and green starts with how we use our communal bins. It might seem like a small thing but putting rubbish in the right bins makes a big difference to our estates.

Most of us share communal bins, and how we use them affects our neighbours. When bins are used properly, our estates stay tidier, safer, and healthier. But when they’re not, rubbish builds up, pests move in, and everyone feels the impact.

“It’s about cleanliness, smell, and hygiene”

Community gardener and local resident, Amran, knows first-hand why using communal bins properly matters. He’s lived on Teviot for many years and, together with his wife Ambia, helps care for the community garden near their home. They grow everything from tomatoes and pumpkins to khodu (a traditional Bangladeshi vegetable) and regularly share their harvests with neighbours – but the garden has also shown him the problems caused when waste isn’t disposed of properly.

“It’s important for everyone to use the bins properly. For cleanliness, smell, and hygiene,” Amran explains. “Waste left out beside the bins attracts pests, and we’ve already had big issues with rats near the garden. I’ve even seen them damaging local cars.”

Amran

It’s not just waste left on the ground that causes problems. Bags are sometimes split open, left outside bins, or food waste isn’t tied up well. This attracts pests, leaves unpleasant smells, and makes pavements look untidy. The whole community starts to feel the impact.

Amran has even had to stop using the water supply near the bins to water his plants. “I counted seven rats coming out of one bin, near where I normally get water for the garden. After that, I just started carrying buckets of water from home.”

How we can all help

Cleaner estates make life nicer for everyone. And as Amran shows below, small changes in how we use the bins can make a big difference.

Here are his top tips for using bins the right way:

  • Use thicker bin bags – thin bags leak and split. Stronger bags are less likely to break, and help keep pests away
  • Don’t overload bags – heavy bags also split and leave trails of rubbish
  • Drain liquids first – if packaging has juices or oil, drain it or soak it with tissue before throwing it away
  • Always put rubbish inside the communal bins – never leave bags beside them
  • Separate your recycling – plastics, glass, cans, paper and cardboard all have their own place in the recycling bins. Use your dedicated food bin for food waste.
Amran

Investing in the future

For Amran, recycling isn’t just about today – it’s about the next generation.

“Everyone should recycle,” he says. “We know the effects of waste and global warming. My kids already know what goes in the recycling bin, and that’s how they’ll grow up. We have no excuse not to do it.”

Amran

By following a few simple steps, we can keep our estates cleaner, safer and better for everyone – both now and in the future.

You can report any issues to us, including fly tipping by calling 0800 035 1991 or emailing us at info@poplarharca.co.uk.