Green bins have proved to be rubbish at containing waste during strong winds.
Dalgety Bay residents discovered that last week when they put their green bins full of tins and plastics for recycling out for collection.
During Wednesday’s gusts, the lightweight bins were blown over and their contents scattered. The problem was compounded by the two-shift bin collection, which means rubbish and recycling can be uplifted any time from 6am to 9pm.
Councillor Alice McGarry said: “Green bins were blown all over Dalgety Bay and there was debris everywhere.”
Because they are filled with empty containers, the green bins were not adequately weighed down.
Mrs McGarry continued: “The bins were out for a long time and they ended up flying around the street.
“The bins are not fit for purpose because they are so light. There is clearly an issue. You could say this will only happen three or four times a year, but the weather is getting windier.
“It has been said to me by an officer that there is a design flaw. The four-bin system is a good service, but here we had plastic bottles and debris ending up in gardens and all over the street. I don’t think people were best pleased.”
One resident suggested the bins could be “locked” shut to prevent the contents escaping, however this could cause problems during collection.
Mrs McGarry added: “A resident came up with the idea the bins could be clipped shut.
“But obviously there’s an issue with that because of the way the bins go onto the machine when they are emptied.”
Ross Spalding, service manager at Fife Council, confirmed: “Due to the exceptionally strong winds we experienced earlier this week, a couple of customers have contacted us about bins being blown over.
“Advice is available on our website which can help prevent this problem. If spillage and littering does occur on streets then we will send a local service team to clean it up.
“The team will also pick up what they can from within gardens but may miss a few items due to being cautious about damaging people’s plants. We can be notified through our helpline on 08451 55 00 22.”
The council’s four-bin system was rolled out across south-west Fife last summer.