Installed on Hutchins Road, this is the fourth bin to be added as part of the Home Office’s national weapons surrender scheme, which is running throughout July.
This new Thamesmead bin has been designed to be able to fit “ninja swords”.
Ninja swords, set to be banned from August 1, will be illegal to possess after this date, carrying penalties of up to four years imprisonment.
The surrender bin allows individuals to dispose of such dangerous items safely and anonymously without fear of prosecution.
The design of the bin, securely bolted to a concrete base, ensures the contents are inaccessible once deposited.
A mobile surrender van, operated by FazAmnesty, will also be a feature throughout July.
This organisation, dedicated to reducing knife crime, will have the van stationed in the borough on Wednesday, July 16, between 2pm and 5pm, on Herbert Road.
The trained staff from FazAmnesty will safely deposit any items handed in into a secure bin inside the van, asking no questions nor taking any personal information.
Rachel Taggart-Ryan, councillor responsible for community safety and enforcement, said: “We are really pleased to support the government’s national weapons surrender scheme, and to have another permanent weapon surrender bin installed in the borough, in collaboration with our partner organisation Word 4 Weapons, following the campaign’s success so far.
“We want everyone in the borough to be safe, and feel safer, and since the Abbey Wood, Eltham, and Woolwich bins were installed in July 2024 and March 2025, they have resulted in 214 weapons being taken off our streets.
“This shows just how effective the bins are in helping to keep our communities safe.”
The four weapon surrender bins in Royal Greenwich are now located in Abbey Wood near the library on Eynsham Drive/Finchdale Road, Hutchins Road in Thamesmead near the underpass, Sutcliffe Park in Eltham to the right of the main entrance on Eltham Road, and Woolwich Town Centre on Calderwood Street at the junction with Powis Street.
The council encourages everyone to visit its website to learn more about the “Let’s Live #KnifeFree” campaign, the risks involved in carrying a knife, and the support available.
Crimestoppers, Fearless, and 0800 555 111 are available for anonymous reporting of knife crime.
Immediate danger or need for help should be reported by calling 999.
