Edinburgh Council has spent £324,000 to replace bins in one year as residents could pick up the bill

Council bosses have paid out more than £320,000 in the last year to replace bins amid speculation that residents could be charged for them.

Statistics released by Edinburgh City Council show that in the last 12 months the authority has spent £324,513.84 to replace 4,484 domestic waste bins and 26,764 recycling containers.

The data also points out that nine per cent of residual bins and two per cent of recycling bins, boxes, food bins, food caddies and garden bins have been replaced due to lost or damaged bin lids.

One draft budget proposal that was drawn up by council officials was to potentially charge residents for replacement bins. Both the SNP and Labour groups would need to agree to the proposal being taken forward.

The most expensive bins for the council to replace are garden waste bins and green mixed recycling bins at £28.22 – while each grey residual waste bin costs the authority £26.51 to replace.

Liberal Democrat finance spokesperson, Cllr Neil Ross, called for the figures to be revealed.

He said: “I asked questions about bin replacements to highlight the costs involved but was surprised that it cost the council over £300,000 in the last year.

“It is also notable that food waste bins and blue boxes make up the majority of replacements. If a food waste bin or a blue box is chucked, rather than placed, down on the pavement, it’s no wonder that so many are damaged. Given the costs involved, this is certainly worth further investigation by the council.”

But the council’s environment convener, Cllr Lesley Macinnes, said that workers are being trained to take extra care of the bins while residents are being reminded to store the containers securely.

She said: “I’d like to stress that our replacement rate for bins compares favourably to other cities with similar-sized waste collection operations, but obviously we want the service to be as sustainable as it possibly can be.

“The vast majority of bins need to be replaced due to natural wear and tear over several years’ usage out in all weathers and it’s important to point out that only a very small percentage, two per cent, of recycling bins have to be replaced due, in part, to how they’ve been put back on the kerbside.

“However, our ultimate aim has to be that none are damaged in this way and we’re actively addressing this with our crews through enhanced training and awareness. We’d also remind residents to store their bins as securely as possible in between collections to keep them in good condition.”

A total of 8,988 food caddies have been replaced by the council in the last 12 months, 8,560 blue boxes, 4,830 grey bins, 1,825 garden waste bins and 2,253 green mixed recycling bins.

Green finance spokesperson, Cllr Gavin Corbett, has called for the proposal to charge residents for replacement bins should be ruled out.

He said: “Collecting bins of various kinds is one of the most basic services a council should offer. And, from time to time, that will mean replacing bins which have been lost, damaged, stolen or blown away.

“Seeking to charge residents for replacement bins, particularly recycling bins, would be counter to what the council is trying to do, would be an administrative nightmare and all for a saving of around 0.01 per cent of the total budget.”