A warning has been issued to residents in the Burnham-On-Sea area this week after a Somerset crew member collecting household waste was splashed with a hazardous liquid that had been left in a rubbish bin.
Fortunately, the crew member from contractor SUEZ was unhurt because the hazardous liquid only ended up on their clothing during the incident, as pictured here.
But a SUEZ spokesman said: “This is a really lucky near miss that could have been a lot worse had it made contact with eyes or skin.”
The householder concerned is being visited to remind them of the need for safety when putting out waste.
A spokesman for Somerset Waste Partnership told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Hazardous materials must never be added to rubbish bins or recycling boxes, where they will put others at risk of harm.”
“Residents with any hazardous materials should check the instructions, or contact the manufacturer or retailer, to ensure they follow the advice on disposal.”
“In many cases, after making those checks, the materials can be taken – with due care – to recycling sites for disposal.”
Among the items and materials that should never be added to rubbish bins or recycling boxes are garden or garage chemicals, paint, fuel, batteries, asbestos, syringes and knives.
Advice on hazardous waste can be found here.
