The refuse operative was shown delivering a roundhouse-style kick to the 6ft-tall creation, on a footpath in front of a house, in CCTV footage published by the Hereford Times.
He appears to casually deliver the right-footed blow while waiting for a bin to be emptied into the back of a refuse truck – afterwards returning the bin to its spot on the pavement.
The incident is reported to have happened in Hampton Rise, Hereford, following the weekend’s snowfall.
Herefordshire Council said it was “disappointed” by his conduct, adding he was an agency worker recruited to work for a council contractor, and was not directly employed by County Hall.
In a statement to the PA news agency, a Herefordshire Council spokesman said: “We are aware of this incident and are disappointed that an individual representing the council would behave in such a manner.
“The employee was a member of agency staff working on behalf of one of the council’s contractors, and he has been informed that he will not be used again.
“Information has also been circulated to all agency employees outlining the professional standards they are expected to uphold when representing a Herefordshire Council contractor.”
