Residents of a West Yorkshire town have demanded action after two unmarked clothing collection containers appeared on a residential street, raising concerns about illegal dumping.
The containers were first spotted by local residents at the end of August, with photographs shared on social media showing the unmarked bins positioned at the junction of Henry Street in Batley.
Community members expressed alarm that the installations represented a violation of local authority regulations.
One resident highlighted that the placement demonstrated complete disregard for council licensing requirements, while additional voices pointed out that proper authorisation should have been obtained from the local authority before installation.
The emergence of these bins follows a previous campaign by elected members in Batley, which successfully resulted in the clearance of four persistent fly-tipping blackspots that had developed around textile donation points.
Councillors had fielded complaints from local people regarding the clothes-bank locations for a number of years prior to their removal.
One such site that was addressed stood along Victoria Avenue.
Despite being established to facilitate textile recycling, these locations had transformed into hotspots for illegal waste disposal, with bags containing garments, domestic refuse, and miscellaneous debris frequently abandoned around the containers.
Community members reported that the areas had become unsightly features of the neighbourhood, experiencing repeated incidents of fly-tipping regardless of maintenance efforts.
The appearance of the unidentified containers on Henry Street has reignited frustration among residents and local elected representatives alike.
Independent councillor Kasia Akhtar expressed strong disappointment to the Local Democracy Service, noting that previous progress in addressing the issue had been undone.
The councillor clarified that legitimate charitable organisations collecting clothing items were supported, but that operations lacking proper permits would not be tolerated.
Following the circulation of images showing the unmarked bins, the councillor confirmed that the matter had been referred to Kirklees Council, with a formal notice issued requiring the owners to remove the containers within a fortnight.
The council was approached for additional comment regarding the situation.