Public Litter Bins – Current Provision and Changes
Case reference FOI2026/01919
Received 9 August 2026
Published 25 August 2026
Request
1. The current number of public litter bins or combined litter/recycling bins for which the authority is responsible. Where your records permit, please split this between:
- streets/highways and other public realm;
- parks/open spaces;
- council housing estates; and
- other locations.
Please exclude household or communal residential refuse/recycling containers.
2. Your current electronic asset list/register for these bins, containing the following existing fields where held:
- asset ID;
- location, coordinates and/or postcode;
- location/category type;
- bin type and/or capacity;
- planned emptying/service frequency; and
- installation date.
I am requesting an export of existing recorded fields only. Please do not undertake a manual exercise to complete fields which are not already recorded.
3. For each of:
- 2024/25;
- 2025/26; and
- 2026/27 to the date of this request,
the number of public litter bins:
- newly installed; and
- permanently removed,
where these totals can be obtained from an existing asset-management record or report.
Response
1. The current number of public litter bins or combined litter/recycling bins for which the authority is responsible. Where your records permit, please split this between:
The total number of street bins across the county is: 1292.
- streets/highways and other public realm;
- parks/open spaces;
- council housing estates; and
- other locations.
Please see the attached spreadsheet which sets out the location of the street bins and the coordinates for each.
Please exclude household or communal residential refuse/recycling containers.
2. Your current electronic asset list/register for these bins, containing the following existing fields where held:
- asset ID;
- location, coordinates and/or postcode;
- location/category type;
- bin type and/or capacity;
- planned emptying/service frequency; and
- installation date.
Please see the attached spreadsheet. Unless the bin is a dog bin, the capacity of the bin is typically 110 litres. The new style bins used by the Council are galvanised steel, in black, with gold banding and the words “Litter and Dog Waste” displayed under each aperture and with the Herefordshire Council logo attached to each bin.
The emptying frequency is currently being reviewed therefore there is not a finalised list yet available. All bins are emptied weekly and the frequency for each differs depending on the footfall within the location of the bin, for example city centre bins are emptied 3 times per day and at weekends whereas more rural bins are emptied once per week.
I am requesting an export of existing recorded fields only. Please do not undertake a manual exercise to complete fields which are not already recorded.
3. For each of:
- 2024/25;
- 2025/26; and
- 2026/27 to the date of this request,
the number of public litter bins:
- newly installed; and
- permanently removed,
where these totals can be obtained from an existing asset-management record or report.
Over the above financial years, there have been limited new installations. The Council typically only replaces bins that are listed on the spreadsheet when it becomes defective and beyond use. In the last 12 months, there have been only a small number of brand-new installations in locations deemed necessary. Several bins have been replaced due to them being found to be defective. Our policy approach to street bins is currently under review.
It is worth noting that street bins were managed until recently by our previous public realm contractor, Balfour Beatty, since 1 June 2026 bins are entirely managed by Herefordshire Council.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.