Bath’s New Bin Rules Spark 41 Fines Amid Business Backlash

Since the introduction of new bin regulations in October, Bath and North East Somerset Council has issued 41 fixed penalty notices to businesses in central Bath for breaching waste disposal rules. These regulations, implemented by the Liberal Democrat-controlled council, mandate that businesses must label their waste with their name and use gull-proof bags for storage. Additionally, businesses are prohibited from placing waste outside before 6pm, a significant change from the previous allowance between 5pm and 8:45pm.

The timing restriction has faced strong opposition, especially from businesses whose staff typically finish work at 5pm, making it difficult and costly to comply. The council’s own assessment warned that businesses might incur over £3,000 a year in extra wages to have an employee stay late just to put bins out. Notably, two businesses fined had formally objected to the 6pm rule, labeling it “entirely unworkable.”

Initial enforcement in the first week saw many breaches—61 businesses failed to label waste correctly, and 43 put bins out too early. However, by the seventh week, these numbers had dramatically dropped to just one violation each. The council attributes this improvement to “targeted education” efforts, including tagging waste, verbal advisories, and educational letters warning of potential fines.

Out of approximately 1,126 businesses affected in central Bath, 80 raised objections before the rules took effect, and since then, 21 have lodged complaints. Despite challenges from backbench councillors, a Liberal Democrat-dominated scrutiny panel rejected calls to reconsider the policy, though it requested an impact report—which has now highlighted compliance trends.

This report will be reviewed in an upcoming meeting of the council’s climate emergency and sustainability scrutiny panel on July 9 at Bath Guildhall, marking a key moment for the contentious waste policy.