Wheelie bin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A wheelie bin is a type of waste container. In the U.S. it is technically known as a "mobile garbage bin" or MGB. A more sophisticated relation of the traditional, round bin, it is a rectangular box on wheels usually of injection molded high density polythene (HDPE) although the larger ones may be made of steel. It is designed to be emptied mechanically and is therefore constrained by various standards to ensure that it mates correctly with the unloading machinery.
George Dempster invented the Dempster-Dumpster system in the 1930s for automatically loading the contents of standardised mobile steel containers onto the dustcart. This led to the classic Dempster Dumpmaster dustcart of the 1950s, but wheelie bins did not become commonplace until the 1970s. The term dumpster is frequently used as a generic term for a large MGB in the United States.
The smaller wheelie bins, for domestic or light commercial use, typically hold 120, 240 or 360 litres, with 240 litres being the most common. They have a hinged flap lid and two wheels on the bottom on the same side as the lid hinge. There is a bar behind the hinge on the top of the bin which is used to move it. The 240 litre bin is usually considered to have the same capacity as three traditional dustbins.
The dimensions of these bins vary with manufacturer and standard, but are roughly:
- 120 litres - 93 cm high, 48 cm wide, 52.5 cm deep
- 240 litres - 107 cm high, 58 cm wide, 74 cm deep
- 360 litres - 110 cm high, 62 cm wide, 86 cm deep
These bins are usually black or green, but other colours include brown, grey, blue and red. Frequently several different coloured bins are provided for different types of waste so that it may be recycled: for example garden waste, plastics and metal. Sometimes the term wheelie bin is taken to cover these smaller bins and not their four-wheeled cousins.
The design objectives behind the bin were efficient use of space and safety: to provide at least as much space as the older round bins, whilst reducing the risk of injury caused by moving it. This is important for both the householder and the dustmen, who risked injury through lifting the traditional bin or from sharp, and frequently contaminated objects in rubbish bags. The bins only need to be wheeled to the dustcart where they are emptied by machinery.
The early standard for these bins was the German DIN Standard 30740 and DIN 30700 parts 1 + 2 and later RAL-RG 723/2, but in the European Union the specification of wheelie bins is now governed by the European Standard EN840, Part 1 of which covers the construction and dimensions of two wheeled bins with a range of capacities.
Many local authorities have made this type of bin compulsory, and usually require that bins are presented at the kerb for collection.
The larger bins, intended for commercial use, are mounted on four wheels and frequently have a sliding lid and are covered by Part 2 of EN 840. They have capacities of 500, 660, 770, 1000, 1100 or 1280 litres. Galvanised steel is sometimes used for their construction in place of polythene.
Some domestic bin-owners buy wheelie bin covers which come as four self-adhesive sheets with a floral or ivy design. These have to be cut to shape and stuck to the bin.
Materials subject to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive are marked with a "Wheelie Bin" label, consisting of an iconic representation of a wheelie bin crossed with a large X.
