The Corporation of Hamilton urged all city residents and businesses to properly manage their wheelie bins and trash.

A spokeswoman said leaving bins on sidewalks after trash has been collected “creates obstacles for pedestrians, contributes to unpleasant odours and detracts from the overall cleanliness of our city”.

Residents and business owners were encouraged to remove wheelie bins from the sidewalk as soon as garbage has been collected, regularly clean the receptacles to eliminate odours and pests, secure all trash bags before placing them inside bins and not use them to permanently store waste.

The spokeswoman explained: “The City stresses that the duty of care does not end when trash is placed out for collection.

“Proper use and maintenance of wheelie bins are essential to ensuring a clean, safe and pleasant environment for all who live, work and visit Hamilton.

“We appreciate the public’s co-operation in helping to maintain the standards of our city.”