As we all know, keeping our neighbourhoods clean and tidy is part of being a responsible community member.

However, did you know that something as simple as leaving your bin out could lead to a hefty fine?

That's right, folks—in some parts of Australia, not adhering to council bin collection rules could hit your wallet hard.

In the Port Adelaide Enfield council area of Adelaide, residents are now facing the possibility of a $312 fine if they leave their empty bins out on the street for too long after ‘bin night’.

This has sparked a debate among locals, with some worried about the financial burden of such a fine, especially for those who might forget to bring their bins in due to busy schedules or simple oversight.

The council has set clear guidelines for bin management: bins are to be placed out after 4 PM the night before collection and must be removed by no later than midnight the following day.

Adelaide residents risk a $312 fine for leaving their bins out too long after rubbish collection. Credit: Shutterstock

It seems straightforward, but life can sometimes get in the way. Hadi Jafari, a resident of the area, expressed his concern, noting that coordinating the bin schedule with his siblings has been challenging.

With the threat of a fine looming, he said they would now ‘pay extra attention’ to avoid the penalty.

‘Three hundred dollars for a fine is really hard for people to afford. It is really a lot of money,’ he said.

It's important to note that the council isn't issuing fines left and right.

Mayor Claire Boan assured residents that the warning letters sent out are ‘rare’ and only under ‘exceptional’ circumstances.

‘If a letter has been issued to say, “Hey, you haven't brought your bin in regularly on request,” then an inspector would go past and check after midnight so that there's no more bin litter on the street,’ she explained.

Mayor Boan suggested that complaints from a neighbour probably triggered the council's letters and admitted that it's the first time she's ‘ever heard of this happening’.

‘Generally, it would be a neighbour complaining that someone has left their bin out, and at that point, they would issue this letter,’ she said, adding that a fine ‘could happen’.

While the residents who received the warning letters were not fined, the possibility remains if the issue persists.

This isn't an isolated case either. Back in 2018, many councils in Queensland implemented similar laws, with fines reaching up to $2,500 for leaving bins out 24 hours after collection.

It's a stark reminder that council by-laws are there for a reason, and it's our duty to comply with them.

The Port Adelaide Enfield council has been contacted for a comment.

As local councils tighten their grip on waste management practices, residents are increasingly questioning the rules surrounding rubbish disposal.

The recent warning from a council threatening hefty fines for seemingly minor bin infractions has sparked conversations about what constitutes acceptable waste practices.

This has led many to reflect on their own habits, with one mother’s revelation about her rubbish bin tactics igniting a lively debate on whether these methods may actually be illegal.

Key Takeaways

• Residents in parts of Adelaide face a $312 fine for leaving their bins out too long after rubbish collection night.
• The Port Adelaide Enfield council requires bins to be placed out after 4 pm the night before collection and removed by midnight the following day.
• Reminder letters have been issued to some residents, warning them of the potential fine for not adhering to the bin schedule.
• While the issuance of warning letters is 'rare' according to the Mayor, the fines embody a serious incentive to comply with local waste management by-laws.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you ever forgotten to bring your bin in? Do you think these fines are fair? Share your stories and opinions in the comments below!

 

[freedy50]

Typical council after revenue

So it's ok not to take any notice of any council rules as all they make them for is extra revenue?

I assume you just leave your bins out all the time as the rules don't apply to you?

 

[Clancieblue]

Maybe the council should remove their bins and make them go and pay for another one.

 

[Phantom55]

what's next a dress code for putting bins out (my neighbour does it in his pyjamas outrageous) Council CONTROL is getting out of hand what's next laws on thinking, is walking on the wrong side of the street going to be an offence? Councils are our PUBLIC SERVANTS not our bosses, stick to council business and try not to go broke every 10 years (without penalty) as they do, and up the rates to compensate for them going broke(and no one loses their job)

 

[Jest]

i would not live in adelaide. most stories on here are about this place.

 

[freedy50]

Good idea. I live in a small narrow road and 7 houses were built by a well known house building company and all the garages face onto my road. In the planning permission for them there was a clause which stated that the bins should be stored behind their side door during the week. An area was actually built for that (As well as no parking on the roadway, but that's another matter)However, the company didn't seem to tell the owners although some have sense and do that, but, for some reason, the person opposite has never done that and just leaves then outside all the time. In the windy weather their bin falls over and their rubbish goes everywhere.

The rules for our council state:-
"After your rubbish and recycling has been collected, you must store your bin on your property until the next collection date."

Unfortunately, there's no mention of fines.

 

[Rosi Gordon]

Well not everyone is home to be able to do this in the time frames or they may be suffering health issues & are unable to move them (my elderly uncle had a very bad fall (hospitalized) trying to move his bin once!
I think the law enforcers would be better off spending time catching actual criminals who have no regard for other people's safety or property (ie violent home invaders, car theives, domestic violence offenders, etc scum that assault/rob defenceless elderly citz - crazy times when not bringing in a bin becomes revenue raising! Pathetic!

I'm sure if he is able to bring a bin with rubbish out he is able to bring an empty one in

 

[Rosi Gordon]

Wish they would implement that in our LGA in NSW as there people that leave their bins on the actual road to stop people parking there and bins left on the outside lNe of the highway after they have tipped over.

 

[freedy50]

what's next a dress code for putting bins out (my neighbour does it in his pyjamas outrageous) Council CONTROL is getting out of hand what's next laws on thinking, is walking on the wrong side of the street going to be an offence? Councils are our PUBLIC SERVANTS not our bosses, stick to council business and try not to go broke every 10 years (without penalty) as they do, and up the rates to compensate for them going broke(and no one loses their job)

That's just ranting. You vote every 4 years for councillors who decide what's best for the area and its residents and what the relevant rules should be. So really they are your bosses.

In this case they're sticking to council business by telling people about their bin collection.

 

[magpie1]

So how can a fine like that be enforced? Can you be imprisoned if you don't pay the fine. This is ridiculous.

Driving around in my suburb since moving here 17 years ago, I don't believe that I have ever noticed any bins being left out any longer than 24 hours after collection....that doesn't mean it may happen around my suburb with a few leaving them out longer that I haven't seen, but I just don't think it is something that happens regularly in great numbers.

 

[magpie1]

When my sister first lived in Mooney Mooney she had an outside toilet and had a bloke come round to empty it.She was glad to get an inside one later as she was scared of the redback spiders

That reminds me of an old Aussie song....."There was a red back on the toilet seat...." Slim Dusty ???

 

[mOiOz]

This happened in my street, up the road at some of the other unit complexes they used to leave the bins out all the time making it impossible to walk up our steep hill. A letter from council was sent with threats of fines and now most people bring them in. As I usually bring our bins in, I am not going to be responsible for our complex getting a fine. Get out at 6.30 or thereabouts in the morning and bring them in. However, I will not wash all the bins anymore, they are too heavy for me. I do ours and my 95 year old neighbours. The others in the complex, if they want clean bins, can do them themselves. I know this sounds mean but as I am much older now, it is hard to turn bins upside down to clean and drain them. Most of us use bin liners now so it stops having to wash them every single week. I know, not ecological friendly but practical for much older tenants.

True, I had this problem when residing in a townhouse.
My unit was the very last and farthest one at the end of a steep, winding driveway at the top of the complex.
It was a nightmare pulling or pushing the bin (which usually ended up pushing ME) up and down the hill.

So, I eventually hooked two pullies on the back of my car and entwined then around the bin handle.
Every week, I would drive it down on the way to work and pick it up on the way home.
I received a lot of stares and comments of laziness, but still got the last laugh.

 

[darrellh]

Maybe that's the only steps they get in each week, but it just makes your place look untidy or look like you are away, hello burglar.

 

[Loubeauxarts]

Well not everyone is home to be able to do this in the time frames or they may be suffering health issues & are unable to move them (my elderly uncle had a very bad fall (hospitalized) trying to move his bin once!
I think the law enforcers would be better off spending time catching actual criminals who have no regard for other people's safety or property (ie violent home invaders, car theives, domestic violence offenders, etc scum that assault/rob defenceless elderly citz - crazy times when not bringing in a bin becomes revenue raising! Pathetic!

Well said Cheezil. %

 

[Gerrit H. Schorel-Hlavka]

As I have set out at my blog https://www.scribd.com/inspectorrikati municipal corporations have no legislative powers. (Municipal of Sydney v Commonwealth 1904) and I found that at time council has not empty a bin or simply do it a day late. Councils will pursue all kind of fine issues to get more money so they can waste more of it, but I have taken them on big time, even exposing they fraudulently issue Infringement Notices for exceeding parking this even so by their own records I was not. Not every person may have the capacity to stand their grounds as I do but it is important to try to defend yourself rather then handing over your valuable monies only for the council to waste it on parties, etc.

 

[MariaG]

Ssurely the average Aussie, rather than dob in a neighbour, would just take the bin in for them? I know that I have.

Works very well with good neighbours.
We have a little clutch of more senior bin owners. Fortunately, we don't let each others' bins linger for too long as there are quite a lot of cars that park in front of our homes through the day.
Unless someone is made to leave their home without warning, I don't know of anyone who would leave the bin out for the day and night. Certainly wouldn't happen around my neck of the woods if a fine like that was looming.

 

[marni]

Only lazy people leave their bin out, you have to pass it as you arrive home.
If someone is in hospital or ill surely a neighbour or family member could do it for you.
We've had people in our street who leave their bin out from one week to the next but drive in and out past it everyday.
They even walk out to it, on the verge, put their rubbish in and then go back inside leaving the bin on the verge.

They may have health problems. I think councils are heavy handed to put rules in place. People may need to be away, place non out so it doesn’t stink while they are away. Council makes the rule which day, it does not ask the resident if it’s convenient

 

[mylittletibbies]

They may have health problems. I think councils are heavy handed to put rules in place. People may need to be away, place non out so it doesn’t stink while they are away. Council makes the rule which day, it does not ask the resident if it’s convenient

Unfortunately it would be impossible to ask people which day is convenient. How would that work????
Everybody would pick different days.
And no, our neighbours don't have health issues, unless you call being bone idle a health issue.
This is a small country town, everybody knows everybody.If you tried taking the bin in for them you would more than likely be told to f*** off and mind your own business.

 

[Liz]

True, I had this problem when residing in a townhouse.
My unit was the very last and farthest one at the end of a steep, winding driveway at the top of the complex.
It was a nightmare pulling or pushing the bin (which usually ended up pushing ME) up and down the hill.

So, I eventually hooked two pullies on the back of my car and entwined then around the bin handle.
Every week, I would drive it down on the way to work and pick it up on the way home.
I received a lot of stares and comments of laziness, but still got the last laugh.

This morning was bin morning, as I cannot hear the truck from the back of the complex, I went up at 6am to see if he had been. Unfortunately, a large 4 wheel drive had parked in front of our bins, so I had to move them down the street so the bin man could collect them. Then when he came at about 7, I went up again to bring them all in. Unfortunatley, I dont' have a car and I can only walk to the drop of the driveway to get to the street. I decided that the smell from some of the garden waste ones and my 95 neighbour and mine were also smelling so I washed the 4 of them. The other 3 can do it themselves. I really want to do the yellow bins next week, but it is just too much.

 

[Sass]

Only lazy people leave their bin out, you have to pass it as you arrive home.
If someone is in hospital or ill surely a neighbour or family member could do it for you.
We've had people in our street who leave their bin out from one week to the next but drive in and out past it everyday.
They even walk out to it, on the verge, put their rubbish in and then go back inside leaving the bin on the verge.

My neighbour does the same

 

[magpie1]

This morning was bin morning, as I cannot hear the truck from the back of the complex, I went up at 6am to see if he had been. Unfortunately, a large 4 wheel drive had parked in front of our bins, so I had to move them down the street so the bin man could collect them. Then when he came at about 7, I went up again to bring them all in. Unfortunatley, I dont' have a car and I can only walk to the drop of the driveway to get to the street. I decided that the smell from some of the garden waste ones and my 95 neighbour and mine were also smelling so I washed the 4 of them. The other 3 can do it themselves. I really want to do the yellow bins next week, but it is just too much.

The last complex that I lived in had 12 units and a maintenance man who mowed the lawns and nature strip, took away the clippings in his truck and took all the bins out, washed them all out afterward and then brought them back in looking and smelling nice. And ours was not the only complex that he did the same maintenance work for either. Our complex always looked neat and tidy thanks to his efforts.