The initiative, entitled The Risks of Sleeping in Bins, aims to support people sleeping rough during the winter months, while also helping businesses and the wider public recognise signs that someone may have taken refuge inside a bin.
Grundon’s Head of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality, Reg Hodson said: “We are asking anyone who has waste containers in or around their premises to make sure the area is secure and well-lit.
“Talk to your staff so they know the signs to look out for and, if possible, display warning signs on and around the bins themselves.
“By taking a few minutes this winter, everyone can play their part in keeping people safe.”
Campaign born from near-miss incident
The campaign follows an incident in December 2024 involving Grundon driver Dave Goodwin, who is based at the company’s Banbury depot in Oxfordshire.
While carrying out a routine collection, Goodwin noticed that one of the bins felt unusually heavy. He stopped and investigated.
Inside the container, he discovered a man who had been sleeping there overnight.
Goodwin recalled: “As drivers, we are always trained to be alert to anything unusual and it was one of those split-second moments when you realise something isn’t right.
“I immediately stepped back from the bin and was hugely relieved to find that although the gentleman inside was a bit shaken up, he was unharmed.”
The man later explained that he usually listened for the sound of a diesel engine as a warning that a collection vehicle was approaching.
With the shift to electric waste collection vehicles, which operate far more quietly, he had not heard Goodwin arrive.
Hodson said the near-miss prompted urgent reflection: “Thankfully, due to Dave’s professionalism and care no harm was done, but hearing his story and seeing this video made us realise that, as our industry moves to quieter electric waste collection vehicles, we all need to be more vigilant to help reduce the chances of such an incident happening again.”
‘More and more people forced to sleep on our streets’
The campaign includes practical advice, guidance materials, and brightly-coloured warning stickers reading “WARNING. Risk to Life. Do not use this bin for sleeping.”
Common indicators that someone may be sleeping in or around a waste container include:
- Broken or forced locks
- Personal belongings or bedding left nearby
- Rubbish scattered around the bin
- Pallets or objects stacked to help someone climb inside
Grundon and Crisis have encouraged anyone who believes someone might be taking refuge in a bin to contact Streetlink, a service connecting people sleeping rough in England and Wales with local support.
The call for vigilance comes as rough sleeping continues to rise, up 91% in England since 2021, with Crisis estimating that more than 300,000 people across Great Britain are now experiencing the most severe forms of homelessness.
Crisis’s Director of Policy and Social Change, Francesca Albanese, added: “We are tragically seeing more and more people forced to sleep on our streets.
“Faced with danger and uncertainty, people can seek shelter from the cold and to keep themselves hidden from view for their own safety.
“We are pleased to be able to work with Grundon on this campaign, which we hope will keep more people safe from harm.”
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