A rubbish bin enthusiast who hit the headlines for his ‘wacky’ obsession has picked his top 10 global favourites from the past year – and one is in Kent. Dave Clarke – nicknamed ‘Dustbin Dave’ – has found fame for his unlikely hobby of photographing British rubbish bins.
However his ‘binterest’ spread and he soon became swamped with photos sent in by fans of his Facebook page Bins Fantastic. Dave, 54, has now collated more than 4,000 photos of bins from friends, family and strangers around the world.
The father-of-two has picked out his top 10 from 2024 and revealed his favourite bin to be decorated like a crab in Fuerteventura. Dave, who regularly takes part in beach cleans in Caister-on-Sea in Norfolk, where he lives, said: “The bins abroad are more exciting.
“Lots of areas in UK cities have normal council bins where the seaside towns you can see the fun and wacky ones. More people seem to be photographing bins than ever before and it is something they might have never done.”
Dave liked the crab bin in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
(Image: Bins Fantastic/SWNS)
The self-employed gardener who used to play-pretend as a binman as a child added that keeping Britain tidy was a big priority for him. Dustbin Dave said: “Unfortunately in the UK compared to other countries, there is a lot of litter about.
“People seem to be picking up on how advanced other countries are. Europe is so much more ahead of us with underground bins, recycling and clean futuristic looking bins.
The Herne Bay bin was a popular choice
(Image: Bins Fantastic/SWNS)
“At an early age their children seem to keep their streets clean, the bins from Europe that are sent to me everyone says how clean the streets are.” From South Africa to Torquay, Dave has revealed his top 10 bins from across the globe.
They are as follows:
- Fuerteventura, Canary Islands. The crab bin has a ‘brilliant design’.
- Herne Bay, Kent, has a bin in the shape of a teddy bear that ‘screams fun and grabs your attention to ultimately use it’.
- San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain. Dave said this bin ‘blew me away with the design, colour and shape’.
- Krakow, Poland. This very unusual bin is ‘dark and mysterious’ according to Dave.
- London, UK. This very smart London pedal powered bin sits next a blue recycling bin with the classic City of London badge.
- Torquay harbour, Devon. Dave said this classic design has a ‘brilliant message’.
- Cape Town, South Africa with Table Mountain in the background has ‘stunning bins’.
- Cromer, Norfolk. One of Dave’s snaps shows one of many large stand out bins near the pier.
- Betws-y-coed, Wales. Dave said this is ‘an amazing recycling sculpture made from plastic waste from local beaches’.
- Crete, Greece. Dave said: “This lonesome wooden slated bin enjoying an awesome backdrop.”