Background
Bagged dog waste should be placed into a dog waste bin where possible. Where a dog waste bin is not available, small amounts of bagged dog waste can be placed in a standard litter bin. If a bin is not available, dog waste should be taken home to be disposed of with household waste (black sack) however it should be diluted with other waste to avoid the main constituent of a sack/bin being dog waste.
Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) do not provide, install or maintain dog waste bins. There is no legal requirement for MKCC to provide dog waste bins however we do have a duty to keep council-owned land and public highways clear from litter and refuse.
The dog waste bins in MK are the responsibility of local parish, community or town councils. Other private landowners such as the Parks Trust do not offer dog waste bins on their land. Installation of dog bins is very much a local knowledge issue and installation by parishes is done so as their remit as a ‘Litter Authority’, this is explained further down.
Dog bin locations are typically in areas where dog walkers go and therefore the bin is for dog waste only making the contents of the bin 'offensive waste' which requires separate disposal. Small amounts of bagged dog waste in a litter bin is fine but if it becomes the main constituent e.g. 7kg in one collection cycle, this could be an issue.
For safety reasons, MKCC does not permit the use of dog waste bins on highways assets such as a lamp columns, bridges or sign posts. This is because the additional weight or usage of the bin may cause damage to the asset which will have to be repaired at the Council's expense and may be a public safety issue. It is also a safety issue for the highways operatives carrying out maintenance work on the assets.
Any existing dog waste bins on highways assets will be removed when repair or replacement works are carried out. This will be done in consultation with the bin owner. The dog waste bin may not be reattached to the new or repaired asset but a more suitable location will need to be found or an alternative could be using a free standing bin and there are many dual use bins available for purchase.
These bins are easier to maintain, empty and access. They have larger capacities too which means less emptying helping to reduce costs.
Legislation
Under the Litter Act 1983, Parish Councils are considered to be “Litter Authorities”. Section 5 states the following. Litter bins in England and Wales (Section 5)
(1) A litter authority in England and Wales may provide and maintain in any street or public place receptacles for refuse or litter (in this section referred to as " litter bins").
(2) It shall be the duty of a litter authority in England and Wales to make arrangements for the regular emptying and cleansing of any litter bins provided or maintained by them under this section or under section 185 of the [1980 c. 66.] Highways Act 1980; and such an authority shall have the power to cleanse and empty litter bins provided in any street or public place by them or any other person.
SCHEDULE 1 of the act describes what consent is required to complete work under Section 5. It states that a litter authority shall not carry out works in a street which is a highway for which the litter authority are not the highway authority without the consent of the highway authority for the street.
Dog waste bins on highways assets
Many of the existing dog bins have been attached to highways assets such as sign posts and street light columns. MK Highways do not allow dog bins to be attached to any highway assets such as sign posts, street light columns or other street furniture. The main reason is for safety as they introduce additional weight to the asset and they present an unacceptable health risk to operatives working on these assets.
On street lights, the dog bins hang down obscuring the access door for maintenance. There is also a frequent problem where dog poo bags are not disposed of properly or placed fully in the bin. If the bin is not emptied regularly, the waste builds up with bags piled up around the base of the street light and spillages can occur. This is not acceptable and a health risk for the lighting operatives carrying out essential maintenance works.
Any existing dog waste bins on highways assets will be removed during any repair or maintenance works. The bin owner will be notified of this and will need to find an alternative location for the bin that is not on the adopted highway. The Council's Environment team can assist with this process to find a location or suggest a suitable type of bin.
New dog waste bins
New dog waste bins to be placed on Council-owned land and highways must be freestanding and permission must be sought from MKCC's Waste and Recycling Team first to establish the need and agreement with regards to the frequency of emptying the bins.
The bins should be emptied frequently to avoid waste spilling from the bins. This should be a minimum of a weekly collection or a timescale agreed between MKCC’s Waste officers and the parish, community or town council based on the likely usage. This may require a further review if it presents a problem.
If the bin is to be located on Council land, this will require the permission of the relevant land owner and the exact location . Any requests to place dog waste bins on the adopted highway will only be considered if there is no suitable public land location nearby. You can check for land ownership status on the Council's website using the My MK Mapping tool.
Waste from dog waste bins should be considered as 'Offensive Waste' and disposed of via specialist contractor. MKCC does not provide a dog waste collection or disposal service and segregated dog waste should not be placed in bins provided by the Council.
Litter bins on public land
Litter bins can be placed, emptied and maintained on public-owned land by parish, community and town councils as long as it is not causing an obstruction, it can be accessed easily to empty or for maintenance and there is a proven need for it.
Locations where litter bins that are repeatedly vandalised should not be considered a suitable location. The respective bodies responsible for emptying bins, needs to be agreed if not the local parish, community or town council.
'Binfrastructure'
The Council requests that details of any new litter bins or dog waste bins installed by a parish or town council are provided to the waste team identifying the grid reference (if possible) or otherwise the location (e.g. closest house number, street, town). You can also use What 3 Words to pinpoint the exact location. You will also need to provide: asset number (if assigned), type of bin e.g. single, dual, dog waste, construction e.g. metal, plastic, wooden slatted, capacity e.g. 80 litre, 80-160 litre . This is so that the corporate maps can be updated with bin infrastructure in MK.
Useful contacts
If you have a question about the above policy please contact the relevant team on the details below.
Waste and recycling team
Tel: 01908 252570
Email: envservices@milton-keynes.gov.uk
Highways
Tel: 01908 252353
Email: highways.liaison@milton-keynes.gov.uk
General enquiries
(Customer Services) Tel: 01908 691691
Email: customer.services@milton-keynes.gov.uk To check land ownership, using a postcode and address, use the My MK Mapping tool. This useful tool can show you adopted highways, areas that are maintained by the Council's landscape contractor, rights of way, planning polices and much more.