Litter Bins set for a Revamp to Encourage People to Dispose of Litter Responsibly

Litter bins in several Cardiff neighbourhoods are getting a colourful makeover to encourage people to use them properly and keep the streets clean.

Image: Cardiff Council

The bins in Grangetown, Riverside, Adamsdown, Splott, Canton, Butetown, Cathays and Plasnewydd will be wrapped in eye catching designs with fun messages to remind everyone to put their rubbish in the bin instead of dropping it on the ground.

The scheme, funded through a £10,000 grant from McDonald’s and supported by the environmental charity, Hubbub, will upgrade the litter bins in these wards to improve the street scene and encourage people to use them. The campaign is based on the success of Hubbub’s Bristol Binning campaign, launched in Bristol city centre in 2022.

The new bin designs feature playful takes on song lyrics, gaming motifs and puns, encouraging passers-by to bin their rubbish, helping to keep local spaces clean and litter-free.

Litter costs the Council a significant amount of money each year – with a £7m street cleansing budget in place to clean and clear the streets of Cardiff. Research from Hubbub reveals that 62% of people feel angry when they see litter on the ground and two in five find it frustrating that there aren’t more bins or campaigns to tackle litter.      

Image: Cardiff Council

Councillor Norma Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene and Environmental Services at Cardiff Council said:

“Dropping litter on the floor is completely unnecessary, it costs the taxpayer a significant amount of money each year – money that could be spent on other vital public services. The refresh of the litter bins in these wards is a good way to draw attention to them, so hopefully people will use them and help to keep the city’s streets clean and tidy.”

“I would also like to thank all the community groups that work with our staff to carry out voluntary litter picks in wards across the city as part of the Love Where You Live campaign. The scheme has been designed so that communities can come together to improve community spirit, with a common goal to keep our streets clean and tidy.”

Gavin Ellis, Director and Co-founder at Hubbub said:

“We have a wealth of experience in tackling specific types of litter in targeted environments and are delighted to share our learnings from Bristol’s Binning with Cardiff to develop litter-busting initiatives for their local area.” 

Local McDonald’s Franchisee, Ralph Parker, who owns and operates seven McDonald’s restaurants across Cardiff, said:

“We’re excited to be part of a project that brings Cardiff’s communities and local councils together to make a real difference. As a business committed to being a good neighbour, it’s fantastic to see local voices being listened to and turned into meaningful action that benefits the wider area. By making bins more eye-catching and engaging, we hope to encourage people to take care of Cardiff and the places they call home.”