Avoid a costly mistake: Learn how this simple bin act could cost you $312!

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.


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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!
 
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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 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!
How csn people put rubbish in their bins when they are still out on the road. And it is not councillors who are out trying to catch criminals, that would be the police but I get your point. They are a nuisance when left out and it is amazing these days how many are leaving them out longer. This is clearly meant to be a deterrent.
 
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.
 
I am lucky in my street, neighbours help one another and will bring bins in for you if they notice them still out in the middle of the day. I also reciprocate when I am leaving during the day and my neighbours' bin is still out I take them in to help them. I am lucky that I live in a small street where we all get along and help each other. A bit of kindness goes a long way.
 
I am lucky in my street, neighbours help one another and will bring bins in for you if they notice them still out in the middle of the day. I also reciprocate when I am leaving during the day and my neighbours' bin is still out I take them in to help them. I am lucky that I live in a small street where we all get along and help each other. A bit of kindness goes a long way.
And kindness costs nothing and has never killed anyone.
 
IN THE OLD DAYS THE DUNNY CARTER USED TO GO TO YOUR BACKYARD TOILET AND PUT A LID ON THE CAN THEN LIFT IT ONTO HIS SHOULDER THEN CARRY IT OUT TO THE TRUCK. JUST TRY TO IMAGINE HOW HEAVY THAT WOULD BE. A GARBAGE BIN SIZE METAL CAN FULL OF YOUR SHIT AND PISS BUT HE DIDN'T WHINGE ABOUT IT; HE WAS HAPPY TO HAVE A JOB. NOT LIKE THE ENTITLED LAZY FUCKWITS AROUND TODAY.
 
IN THE OLD DAYS THE DUNNY CARTER USED TO GO TO YOUR BACKYARD TOILET AND PUT A LID ON THE CAN THEN LIFT IT ONTO HIS SHOULDER THEN CARRY IT OUT TO THE TRUCK. JUST TRY TO IMAGINE HOW HEAVY THAT WOULD BE. A GARBAGE BIN SIZE METAL CAN FULL OF YOUR SHIT AND PISS BUT HE DIDN'T WHINGE ABOUT IT; HE WAS HAPPY TO HAVE A JOB. NOT LIKE THE ENTITLED LAZY FUCKWITS AROUND TODAY.
No comment, screams my loud reply.
 
IN THE OLD DAYS THE DUNNY CARTER USED TO GO TO YOUR BACKYARD TOILET AND PUT A LID ON THE CAN THEN LIFT IT ONTO HIS SHOULDER THEN CARRY IT OUT TO THE TRUCK. JUST TRY TO IMAGINE HOW HEAVY THAT WOULD BE. A GARBAGE BIN SIZE METAL CAN FULL OF YOUR SHIT AND PISS BUT HE DIDN'T WHINGE ABOUT IT; HE WAS HAPPY TO HAVE A JOB. NOT LIKE THE ENTITLED LAZY FUCKWITS AROUND TODAY.
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
 
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.🤦
 

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