A COUNCIL is under fire after ordering its refuse collectors not to empty wheelie bins left with the lid open.

Chester-le-Street Council said bins that are not shut properly pose a hazard to its workers and that the order complies with health and safety regulations.

From July 1, binmen will be instructed to leave unemptied bins that have lids only slightly ajar because they could be injured.

A council spokesman said: "Wheelie bins can only be safely emptied if the lids are shut properly. The risk is that such bins can expose workers to poorly wrapped sharp items such as glass and tin lids.

"Raised lids can also cause wheelie bins to fall off the backs of the wagons putting environmental operatives at further risk of injury.

"By making this request the council complies with health and safety regulations, which were set due to a large increase in injuries related to bins with raised lids.

"Apart from the health and safety considerations, overloaded bins can also lead to spillages and litter on the roads.

"The council advises residents to avoid this problem by putting excess glass, paper and tins in Kerb-it recycling boxes."

But some residents have branded the order ridiculous and say it will mean they will be forced to take rubbish to a tip if their bin is not emptied.

Accountant Louise Ryan-Smith, of Park Road North, Chester-le-Street, was given a warning sticker after her bin was overloaded one week.

She said: "I pay £209.90 a month in council tax. I do not expect my bin to be left full in the summer heat because the lid is marginally ajar."

She said that taking rubbish to the tip would be a problem for her because her four-wheel drive car was designated a commercial vehicle by Durham County Council and required a permit to dump rubbish.

She added that she had been waiting more than a year for a re-cycling box from Chester-le-Street Council.