Balderton Parish Council is looking at littering solutions following concerns from residents
Concerns have been raised about waste and littering in a village.
Balderton Parish Council shared accounts of litter and fly tipping at a meeting last week.
Examples included a number of laughing gas canisters on Barnby Road, toilet paper and sanitary wipes found in fishing areas at Balderton Lake as well as items not being properly placed into bins.
A call for more bins was made, but also to better influence the behaviour of visitors. One member said that the council should not tolerate this behaviour and proposed fines.
Installing signs asking the public to take their litter away was also raised as a possibility, in line with similar signs in areas of Newark.
Also discussed was the frequency at which bins were emptied, with many describing how bins regularly over flow or have waste placed next to them as the public cannot place litter in them.
Many of the existing bins in the parish are unlined and of a metal wire-frame construction. Councillors believe that these bins are not suitable because the gaps in the wire are too large to prevent smaller, lighter items from falling out, which are then dispersed by the wind.
Members asked for the opinion of a waste disposal expert who said that the main reason the wire-framed bins are used is due to safety.
It was explained that enclosed concrete bins used in the past would occasionally catch fire when cigarettes were disposed of and the resulting mess was difficult to clean.
The wire frames mean that if a fire was to occur, air could flow through, any debris would fall out and could more easily be disposed of.
One member suggested bins be wrapped in a finer mesh wiring, to still allow air flow in case of a fire but also to rectify the problem of smaller objects falling through gaps.
It was agreed that the parish council would liaise with the district council about litter and the frequency of bin collections.
