How to stop maggots, flies and bad smells from Southend’s new wheelie bins

Southend residents are continuing to receive their new wheelie bins as part of the council’s city-wide overhaul of waste collections, with 198,000 plastic bins being delivered across the city ahead of the new system starting in October 2025.

The new service, run by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK on behalf of Southend City Council, will replace the long-standing black sack collection system. The council says the aim is to reduce litter, stop animals from ripping open waste bags, and increase recycling rates by providing clearly separated containers for different types of waste.

However, with general waste collections now moving to a 14-day cycle, residents are being urged to keep on top of hygiene to prevent their new bins from becoming smelly, fly-infested or riddled with maggots. Hot weather, food scraps and liquids left in bins can quickly cause problems if left unmanaged.

Top tips to keep your wheelie bins clean

• Rinse out packaging with food residue before disposal
• Keep bin lids fully closed to block flies from entering
• Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda in the base to absorb moisture and smells
• Place bins in shaded areas to reduce heat build-up
• Clean bins with hot soapy water or disinfectant after each collection
• Allow bins to dry fully before closing the lid
• Use bin liners or newspaper in the base to stop liquids pooling

Professional bin cleaning that takes the hassle (and dirt) away

For those who would rather not deal with the cleaning themselves, a new Southend-based company called BIN 2 CLEAN has launched to offer regular professional bin cleaning.

The company has been set up by a local man, who said:

“The new 14-day gap between general waste bin collections are a recipe for disaster that can quickly spiral out of control if ignored. Most bin cleaning operations up and down the country charge three or even four times their usual rate for a first clean, which is something we simply do not believe in doing at BIN 2 CLEAN.

Which is why we have a flat rate for our services based on either a monthly or yearly subscription. Everything we do is based on getting bins hygienically clean and keeping them that way permanently. Our pre-launch offer provides unbeatable value and is the right model & method to ensure that Southend residents never have to face smelly, unhygienic or maggot infested bins. And this is all for less than the price of a takeaway for two.”

You can view how cost-effective their bin cleaning subscriptions are in Southend on the Bin 2 Clean website here: www.bin2clean.com

BIN 2 CLEAN uses a five-step cleaning process:

1. Exterior spray down – a powerful jet wash removes dirt, grime and stuck-on debris from outside surfaces
2. Interior deep clean and disinfect – bins are lifted onto a truck where 360° jets clean the interior using eco-friendly disinfectant, with all dirty water contained safely on board the truck
3. Deodorising spray – a long-lasting deodoriser is applied to keep bins smelling fresh
4. Antibacterial wipe down – handles and touchpoints are wiped with mild disinfectant
5. Return to property – the bin is returned spotless and sanitised to its original location

Is anyone allowed to go back to black sacks instead of the new Southend wheelie bins?

All households receiving bins are being served with a legal Section 46 notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which means residents must keep the issued bins on their property and use them as instructed. Wheelie bins will only be replaced with an alternative method of collection, such as traditional sack collections, if a review has been carried out and the council has agreed that bins are unsuitable for the property.

Residents who believe their property is not suitable for wheelie bins can request a review through the council’s website or customer service team. This may include properties with no frontage, limited access or shared alleyways. A council officer will visit to assess whether continuing to use sacks would be more appropriate.