Recycling and waste collectors with a national footprint can routinely report more than four hundred “near-miss” incidents each year involving people sheltering inside waste containers, according to data shared with the ESA.
People seeking shelter in waste containers is a high-risk area for the waste industry, particularly during the winter, and the ESA has today (16th December 2025) reiterated the importance of remaining vigilant and following safety guidance to prevent injury or fatalities.
ESA Policy Advisor, Stephen Freeland, said: “Unfortunately, there is often a misplaced perception that waste containers offer a comparatively more comfortable prospect for those seeking shelter or are perceived as a safer alternative to a night on the street. However, in doing so, people seeking shelter inside them are exposing themselves to serious risk of harm if undiscovered prior to tipping the container into the back of a refuse collection vehicle.
Companies among ESA’s largest members can routinely record around 400 near misses a year, where individuals are discovered in (and around) waste containers prior to tipping into a vehicle. Sadly, many people seem unaware of the risks this can pose, but the consequences can be tragic if they are not found prior to tipping, which has resulted in a number of fatalities in recent years.”
It is essential that waste containers are always checked for people inside them before collection.
This is the key message of ESA’s Situational Awareness campaign, which includes resources to help raise awareness of the dangers posed to people sheltering in containers, alongside advice for collection crews and drivers on the telltale signs to look out for as well as action to take upon discovering someone inside.
An often-overlooked aspect is the role of waste producers (those businesses responsible for placing waste into a container) who, as waste holders, have a duty to prevent risk of harm to the public. The storage of waste containers in a secure and well-lit area is considered (among other measures) as a reasonable practical step towards meeting this duty and would be likely to help discourage people from seeking refuge in containers in the first place.
The resources are freely available to anyone involved in the collection of waste, including businesses across the country who place containers out for collection.
With the onset of winter and lower temperatures the risk increases in urban areas, although people are found sheltering in containers all year round and in suburban and rural areas too.
Before collection look out for:
- Bins not properly secured or open lids which are normally closed
- Pallets or boxes placed outside a container (which may have been used as a step for getting in and out of the container)
- Evidence of displaced waste around the container
- Alcohol bottles, cans, cigarettes or illegal substances close to the container
- Personal possessions around the container (bags, blankets etc)
Upon discovering someone in a container:
- Stand back at a safe place whilst the individual removes themselves from the container
- Report to local authority if individual remains within the container
- Do not attempt to restrain an individual who attempts to flee
- Report immediately as a ‘near miss’
The available resources include a short video clip with key messages that could form the basis of a “toolbox talk”. There is an accompanying poster (which includes a QR code linking to the video) which can be displayed in prominent areas where it will be seen by frontline staff. A huddle card is also available to give safety leaders pointers and tips for discussion with their teams. Further information and guidance is also available from the Waste Industry Safety & Health Forum (WASTE 25).
