DOG waste bins across the borough are to be replaced with dual recycling and litter bins which will be emptied by Kier - prompting fears that they will become overflowing with excrement.

In a bid to increase recycling rates and reduce litter, 800 litter bins and 310 dog waste bins will be replaced with 1,100 dual bins, with one section for food waste and dog mess, and the other for mixed recycling, including card, cans and glass bottles.

Waltham Forest Council expects to become the first borough in the whole of the country to replace every single bin with a dual bin.

Because dog waste is no longer treated as clinical waste by the government and can now be disposed of with conventional waste, separate dog bins will no longer be available.

Dog waste bins will therefore be swapped for litter bins, and their emptying will become the responsibility of contractors Kier.

Some residents are worried because of contractor Kier’s track record for missed rubbish collections, public bins may become overflowing with dog waste.

James Pitman, a campaigner for cleaner streets, of Winns Terrace, Walthamstow, said: “I wouldn’t want to see bins with dog waste at the side of the street or outside schools.

"It is great people use dog waste bins, but they are normally in green areas near parks, not in the high street - that is absolutely ridiculous.”

He added: “We live in a culture where people don’t put rubbish in bins and throw them out of the window. To get people to use bins is hard enough. It is a waste of money because people are not responsible enough to put it in the right one.”

Waltham Forest Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Bob Belam, said: “We would have an education programme about litter, recycling and dog waste.

"We cannot make people do it, but we would encourage them. And we will be talking with dog clubs about the new bins."

When asked about Keir’s tendency to leave bags by bins before collection, Mr Belam added: “I wouldn’t fancy having dog waste in a bag on the street for too many hours.

But maybe we won’t need sacks and can introduce a different system. It is something that will be looked into.”

The council said the £238,700 cost of the new bins will be paid for using the savings of the £60,000 a year cost of emptying the existing dog waste bins.

A pilot will run from January to March, followed by new bins being put in April.