'Pile of nappies is a health risk' - dad

A father who recently had a premature baby has urged a council to bring back weekly general bin collections.

Daniel Brooks, from Burnley in Lancashire, said he was "miffed" as to why residents still faced only two refuse collections a month.

He told a full council meeting his family's resulting pile of nappies in the kitchen or garden was a "health risk".

Councillor Howard Baker said the current fortnightly service was fully compliant with the government’s simpler recycling reforms.

However, Mr Brooks said a home was an environment that should be "safe and secure", especially from illnesses and diseases.

He told the council meeting on Wednesday night: “I’ve recently been fortunate enough to have been blessed with another child, prematurely delivered.

“And before that child came along we had a family of three and by the Monday or the Tuesday of the following week - after the first refuse collection - the bins were close to overflowing which meant a dilemma."

He said his family went through a "hell of a lot of nappies", consisting of "faeces and urine".

Mr Brooks said he would have to decide whether to pile up the nappies in his garden and "annoy the neighbours" or pile them up in the kitchen and "run the risk" of things like E-coli.

He said he had seen the council had a reserve of just over £25m and urged them to increase the budget and deliver weekly refuse collections.

Environment boss councillor Howard Baker said Burnley Council would be required to introduce a weekly food waste collection by April 2026.

“It is expected that residual bin usage will reduce," he added.

Mr Baker also said the government had confirmed no funding would be provided for councils wishing to reinstate weekly refuse collection.

He stated that it would cost approximately £1m a year in Burnley.

Councillor Baker promised to get council staff to contact Mr Brooks to see if he was entitled to a larger "family sized" bin.

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