Slough Borough Council is warning of the dangers of putting the wrong things in rubbish bins after a member of their bin crews was almost taken out by an exploding gas cannister today (14 May 2024).
The crew was collecting grey refuse bins from Marcia Court in Cippenham, Slough this morning, when a gas cannister, which had been placed in one of the bins, exploded on contact with the compactor in the bin lorry, flying out of the rear of the truck, narrowly missing two crew members.
Councillor Gurcharan Singh Manku, lead member for the environment, environmental services and open spaces, said: “Gas cannisters of any sort should never be placed in a domestic bin and can be disposed of for free at our recycling centre.
“The crew was lucky today as it was only their quick reflexes that saved them from potentially serious injuries; I would hate to think of what would have happened if they had not reacted so quickly or if there had been a child or even a local resident nearby who ended up being struck.
“Putting the wrong things in bins is not only unnecessary but dangerous, not just for our crews but for your friends and neighbours.
“This incident shows just how dangerous it is so I would plead with everyone to think of others’ welfare and only put things in their bins that should be in there.”