Fordinbridge becomes first town to 'twin a bin'
Money raised by Bin Twinning helps 'put a lid on poverty'
Last updated 13th May 2021
Members of the Fordingbridge Twinning Association are celebrating as the town has become the first in the UK to twin a bin.
The bin in Fordingbridge Recreation Ground was formerly an ordinary litter bin. It was noticeable only to passing dogs wishing to relieve themselves and to those depositing rubbish.
But now, this bin has been elevated in status thanks to a new environmentally friendly sticker which read: "This bin is twinned with a plastics recycling centre in the Demographic Republic of Congo (DRC)".
IT IS NOT A LOAD OF RUBBISH
The opportunity for Fordingbridge to twin a bin has been made possible by Bournemouth charity, Bin Twinning. It aims to help 'put a lid on poverty' and prevent diseases caused by plastic pollution and rubbish.
Funds for the twin-bin in Fordingbridge are helping to support a social enterprise in the capital of the DRC, Kinshasa - once known as 'Kinshasa the beautiful', now nicknamed 'Kin the bin' as its 17 million inhabitants produce 9,000 tons of waste a day with no waste management system.
The Bin Twinning project will create jobs as well as community action groups for nearly 4,000 people who will collect plastic waste and recycle it into marketable products such as brooms and paving blocks. The initiative is also lobbying the government to implement existing legislation to prohibit the import and sale of specific plastics.
After making a donation to the charity, Bin Twinning sends out a sticker to display on your kitchen compost, outside rubbish, wheelie or commercial bin to advertise your support and promote the work of the charity.
Chair of the Fordingbridge Twinning Association Alison Ayling said: "Fordingbridge Twinning Association is proud to put our town on the map as the first town to twin a bin. This wonderful project uses money donated to fund brand-new social enterprises overseas that collect rubbish, dispose of it safely, and recycle as much as possible creating jobs for society's most vulnerable people. Anyone can twin a bin and we hope others will follow our lead! Details can be seen on our poster displayed on a bin in Fordingbridge Rec near to the kiosk in the play area."
If there is a bin in your area that you would like to twin, visit bintwinning.org to make a donation.