Green Councillor Caroline Russell expresses her delight at the installation of the safe barbecue bin, but states the importance of creating specific barbecue areas.
Councillor Caroline Russell has campaigned for measures to tackle the regular bin fires on Highbury Fields caused by foil barbecues thrown out with general picnic rubbish. This week, Islington Council has installed 4 barbecue disposal bins to address this urgent safety issue.
Cllr Russell said “Residents have been reporting bin fires from foil barbecues to me throughout the summer. I have been campaigning and working with officers to find a solution that allows safe disposal of barbecues to avoid any risk of burns to passers by in the park and to the workers collecting up the refuse after a busy barbecue day. On sunny days with large quantities of picnic rubbish there is also the matter of fire prevention which is perhaps the biggest risk.
I am delighted the bins have at last been installed, but this is just a first step in managing the barbecues properly. We need to supply stands for foil barbecues to prevent damage to the grass and create specific barbecue areas. This would help locate any barbecues away from homes to minimise smoke nuisance both for people living nearby and for people who want to enjoy the park without breathing in smoke.
Its great for Islington residents to be able to have barbecues in their local park, but the Council did not think through the implications of lifting the barbecue ban. Grass protection and smoke management still need to be addressed. I am pleased that after my highlighting this, the council have at last taken the issue of barbecue disposal and the danger of the bin fires seriously.”