Litter & Recycling Bins
HERMEQ litter bins give the public a clear, secure place to dispose of waste in parks, streets, retail parks, schools and event venues, and the recycling models let people separate that waste as they use them. The range comes in plastic, steel, stainless steel and hardwood timber. It includes open top, lidded and enclosed designs, in sizes from compact wall mounted bins to large capacity street bins.
Secure litter bins such as the Falcon and Merlin sit alongside dedicated dog waste, recycling and cigarette bins. Lockable lids, locking doors and removable liners are fitted across much of the range. HERMEQ bins are manufactured in the UK.
Commercial litter bins for streets, parks and public spaces
Footfall and setting decide the type: open tops take the most waste fastest, lids protect the contents in exposed places, enclosed steel bodies stand up to busy high streets, and mounted bins fit where there is no floor space.
Open top litter bins
The widest aperture in the range lets people drop litter without slowing down. These bins suit events, precincts and shopping centres where volumes are high and the bin is emptied often. The open top public litter bin is the large capacity choice for event sites and busy pedestrian routes, and the Falcon litter bin brings decorative banding to retail parks and leisure sites. For shopping centres with daily servicing, the open top hardwood bin combines the same wide opening with a timber finish.
Hooded and lidded public litter bins
A top piece narrows the opening and keeps rain, wind and scavenging birds away from the contents, which is why lidded bins are the usual choice for open streets, parks and verges. The 90 litre public litter bin handles general waste on most public routes, and the 120 litre public litter bin adds capacity for heavy pedestrian traffic. The classic pillar litter bin suits historic villages and urban walkways where a traditional shape is wanted. The Merlin waste bin is a taller, modern design for councils and commercial sites.
Enclosed steel and stainless steel street bins
A steel body that holds the waste behind a door or lid suits high streets, office frontages and transport stops, where the bin has to sit with the rest of the street furniture and stand up to misuse. The enclosed steel litter bin has a curved refuse door that locks, and the round steel litter bin has a decorative plasma cut body for town centres. For modern office buildings and city streets, the stainless steel litter bin and the flare top bin give a cleaner, more architectural finish. The steel pedestal litter bin sets a round stainless bin on a post, with its lid held above the opening.
Wall and post mounted litter bins
Fixing the bin to a wall or post lifts the waste off the ground and leaves the footway clear. This suits narrow pavements, footpaths, bus stops, school grounds and park entrances, where a floor standing bin would get in the way. The post mounted litter bin fixes to a wall or post and comes open topped or with a lockable lid, and the compact wall mounted litter bin suits parks and recreation spaces, with or without a lid.
Recycling, dog waste and cigarette bins
Recycling bins
Separating waste at the point of disposal pays off where the site already sends recycling to a separate collection, as on campuses, office estates, retail parks and transport hubs. The twin skin recycling bin takes a decal on the front for general waste, glass, paper or mixed recycling, and comes as a single or double unit. For larger sites, the stainless steel recycling bin has four containers with lift-up apertures, each labelled for its own stream.
Dog waste bins
Bagged pet waste needs a lidded bin of its own, so that odour stays contained and operatives can empty it separately from general litter. The dog waste bin has a deodorising block and a self-closing lid for busy estates and walkways. The smaller outdoor dog waste bin suits quieter paths and smaller parks, and both mount on a wall or post. Where a park needs one bin for everything, the litter and dog waste bin takes general litter on one side and dog waste on the other.
Smoking and cigarette bins
Cigarette ends need a stubbing plate and a closed chamber, so building entrances and designated smoking areas are better served by a dedicated bin than by a general litter bin. In an open smoking area, the freestanding smoking bin stands on its own, while the wall mounted smoking bin fixes beside a doorway or inside smoking shelters. The post or glass mounted cigarette bin fits to posts, walls and glazed screens. On high streets and in city gardens, where smokers also drop general litter, the litter bin with ashtray and the stainless steel cigarette litter bin take both kinds of waste, and the Merlin can be fitted with an ashtray.
Free standing or fixed litter bins
How a bin is held in place depends on three things: how long it will stay, what it stands on, and how likely it is to be moved, tipped over or stolen.
Free standing bins suit events, temporary layouts and floors where drilling is not allowed, and they can be moved as the layout changes. This includes the Falcon with its ballasted base and the plastic public bins used without fixings.
Bolting to paving or concrete is the choice for permanent streets and precincts, and for anywhere a bin could be tipped over, rolled away or stolen. The flare top and round steel bins bolt down, and the Falcon and plastic public bins can be fixed in the same way.
On grass and landscaped ground, a bin on a post set into a baseplate stays upright where a base would sink or rock. The elevated hardwood litter bin is built this way.
Plastic, steel and timber litter bins
Material follows the setting: how exposed the bin is to weather and vandalism, and how it should look beside the buildings and landscape around it.
Plastic litter bins
UV-stabilised MDPE, the material of the moulded bins in the range, is light to handle and install, does not rust and is moulded in colour. That makes it the practical choice for parks, schools, estates and events, and for sites that colour code bins by waste stream. The 120 litre public bin is made from recycled material, for specifications that ask for recycled plastic litter bins.
Galvanised and mild steel litter bins
Town centres, transport stops and other places exposed to vandalism need a metal body and a bolted fixing, which make a bin hard to damage or remove.
Stainless steel litter bins
Office frontages and high end city streets, where a bin is seen at close quarters, call for the finish of stainless steel.
Hardwood and timber litter bins
Treated hardwood suits parks, zoos, play areas and garden centres, where a natural finish sits better than metal or plastic, and the hardwood bins are lined with zinc. The hardwood litter bin has a removable lid that converts it to an open top, and the timber slatted litter bin has a single lockable door for garden centres and nature sites. For food courts, leisure centres and shopping centres, the timber litter bin with tray top is the right choice. Its upper frame stops food waste blowing out and holds trays once people have finished.
Litter bin capacity and secure waste bins
Capacity and emptying rounds
The litre figure is the volume of waste a bin holds between emptyings, which on a lined bin is the capacity of the liner. Size each bin so that it is not full before the next round at its busiest time. A bin beside outdoor seating, a food outlet or a bus stop fills faster than one on a through route, and a bin emptied once a day needs more capacity than one on a twice daily round. Across the range, sizes run from compact 25 litre mounted bins to the 360 litre four-compartment recycling unit. For long rounds, the easy access refuse bin is emptied by tipping its liner away from the frame, then locking it back into place.
Locks and tamper resistance
Secure waste bins stop the public opening the bin body, removing the liner or scattering the contents. The plastic street bins use bayonet and twist locks, the round steel bin has a lid that locks with a triangle key, and the enclosed steel, stainless and timber bins close with lockable doors or lids. On high streets and at transport sites, choose a bin that opens only with a key.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What colours do litter bins come in?
The plastic public litter bins come in black, yellow, green, blue and red. The plastic dog waste and wall mounted bins come in yellow, green, blue and red, and the Falcon is supplied in a choice of colours. Colour is a simple way to mark recycling streams or to match a site or council livery.
Can a litter bin carry a logo?
The Falcon litter bin can be branded with a custom logo or personalised, for councils, retail parks and leisure operators that want bins in their own identity. It can also be fitted with a lock, so a branded bin on a retail park or leisure site is secured against tampering.
Can outdoor litter bins be used indoors?
Several of them can. The twin skin recycling bin and the timber bin with tray top are designed for both indoor and outdoor use.
How are litter bins emptied?
Most bins in the range hold waste in a removable liner. The operative unlocks the lid or door, lifts out the liner, empties it into a sack or collection vehicle and locks it back in place.
Where should litter bins be placed?
Bins work best where litter is created: at entrances and exits, beside seating, outside food outlets, at bus stops and at park gates. Set them along the line people walk, close enough together that nobody has to carry litter far, and clear of doorways, crossings and the routes used by wheelchairs and pushchairs. Leave room for operatives to open the door or lid and reach the liner.
Are HERMEQ litter bins made in the UK?
Yes. HERMEQ manufactures in the UK with in-house steel processing, and the bins in this range list Great Britain as their country of manufacture.
Are litter bins supplied assembled?
Some plastic bins arrive unassembled, with the installation tools and parts included. These include the 90 litre public litter bin and the classic pillar bin. The Falcon is supplied with fixings for bolting to the floor.