Windy weather – bin clips and other advice
Windy weather – bin clips and other advice
For safety reasons and to help us keep to tight collection schedules we ask that householders don't use heavy weights, ropes or bungees to keep bins lids or bins secured. Our crews won't be able to collect bins secured in this way.
You can use a weight up to 2kg, or a piece of electrical tape to keep bin lids closed.
The Council has also identified two suitable bin straps which residents can use if they need a solution for keeping the lid on their bins on windy days. They are quick and safe to unhook and have been tested by the collection crews on the bin lorries to make sure they don’t get tangled in the lifting mechanisms. They are:
- Schafer clips - these can be purchased from School Place, Kirkwall and Warehouse Building in Stromness, for £5.50
- Caithness Beach Clean bin closers - made from recycled material can be found on the online Etsy shop, StormWashed
Only one clip per bin is needed. Clips cannot be delivered by the Council. Watch our video below or read our FAQs
You say not to use bungees on my bins as they’re an injury risk to crews – but the Caithness Beach Clean clip uses bungee!
Yes, the Caithness Beach Clean does indeed make use of bungee cord as part of its overall design. However its specific design means it’s not a rebound risk for our crews, or an entanglement risk for the lorry lifting mechanisms. Please don’t try and replicate it - support the Caithness Beach Clean project instead.
