Suburb residents may face up to $5,000 in fines for this rubbish bin 'mistake'
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Residents of this particular Australian neighbourhood are expressing concern that they may be subject to a hefty charge for a seemingly minor 'mistake' involving their rubbish bins.
According to a recently enacted law in the area, residents of Victoria Park could be subject to a fine of up to $5,000 if the odour coming from their green-topped garden organics (GO) bin is deemed to be 'smelly' or overwhelming.
Residents of a Perth suburb will receive a big fine if they let their rubbish bins get too smelly. Credit: Town Of Victoria Park.
When asked by an online news outlet about the purpose of the new accordance, Mayor Karen Vernon said it was to make sure that people properly sorted their waste in the new bin.
The new bin is merely for garden organics, such as grass clippings, leaves, weeds and sticks and it was recently introduced by the local council. 'What's really important is that the contents of that third bin are just organic material so there needs to be no level of contamination in there,' Ms Vernon added.
'That's what makes an organic collection process work really well and that's what allows waste processors to take organic material like garden organics or food organics and process them into a useful product like compost.'
Ms Vernon said that the council wanted people to know as soon as possible. She said that the heavy financial penalty would speed up the change in behaviour among the city's 35,000 residents, and in turn, help the local government meet its goal of keeping more waste out of landfills.
'We need people to change their behaviour in their own homes about how they separate their waste before they put it out on the kerb for the council to collect it,' the town's mayor went on to say.
'It might mean if somebody is putting in all the wrong things in the new third bin at some point in time, those people will find there are consequences for not doing the right thing.'
'We will need some powers, as a local council, to be able to make that behaviour change appropriately,' said Ms Vernon.
The green bin should only be filled with garden waste, according to town mayor Karen Vernon. Credit: news.com.au.
Not surprisingly, many locals have strong feelings against the new regulation. Those who are outraged by the news have taken to social media to vent their frustration with what they see as a 'rubbish' decision by the council.
'Fining someone because their rubbish bin smells? It should be a council service to disinfect bins when emptied. We pay astronomical rates; let's see them justified,' one user wrote in the comments section of the Facebook post.
A second Victoria Park resident agreed and added: 'Omg, who seriously has clean smelling rubbish after a week in an outside bin? Maybe they can provide deodorant for our bins or perfume!'
Despite her stern campaign for the local ordinance, Ms Vernon made it clear that the council would not send officers to 'go and smell other people's rubbish bins' if that's what the residents are concerned about.
While some people have voiced opposition to the change, others have defended it by arguing that the residents need to be more mindful about where they put their rubbish.
'I mean, if your bins smell, it's because you are lazy - and that's on you,' said another local.
Do we have any members from Victoria Park here? What are your thoughts about this new regulation that is being implemented?
And for the rest of you lot, how would you react if the same law were applied in your local area? Would you contest it, or show your support? Let us know in the comments!
According to a recently enacted law in the area, residents of Victoria Park could be subject to a fine of up to $5,000 if the odour coming from their green-topped garden organics (GO) bin is deemed to be 'smelly' or overwhelming.
Residents of a Perth suburb will receive a big fine if they let their rubbish bins get too smelly. Credit: Town Of Victoria Park.
When asked by an online news outlet about the purpose of the new accordance, Mayor Karen Vernon said it was to make sure that people properly sorted their waste in the new bin.
The new bin is merely for garden organics, such as grass clippings, leaves, weeds and sticks and it was recently introduced by the local council. 'What's really important is that the contents of that third bin are just organic material so there needs to be no level of contamination in there,' Ms Vernon added.
'That's what makes an organic collection process work really well and that's what allows waste processors to take organic material like garden organics or food organics and process them into a useful product like compost.'
Ms Vernon said that the council wanted people to know as soon as possible. She said that the heavy financial penalty would speed up the change in behaviour among the city's 35,000 residents, and in turn, help the local government meet its goal of keeping more waste out of landfills.
'We need people to change their behaviour in their own homes about how they separate their waste before they put it out on the kerb for the council to collect it,' the town's mayor went on to say.
'It might mean if somebody is putting in all the wrong things in the new third bin at some point in time, those people will find there are consequences for not doing the right thing.'
'We will need some powers, as a local council, to be able to make that behaviour change appropriately,' said Ms Vernon.
The green bin should only be filled with garden waste, according to town mayor Karen Vernon. Credit: news.com.au.
Not surprisingly, many locals have strong feelings against the new regulation. Those who are outraged by the news have taken to social media to vent their frustration with what they see as a 'rubbish' decision by the council.
'Fining someone because their rubbish bin smells? It should be a council service to disinfect bins when emptied. We pay astronomical rates; let's see them justified,' one user wrote in the comments section of the Facebook post.
A second Victoria Park resident agreed and added: 'Omg, who seriously has clean smelling rubbish after a week in an outside bin? Maybe they can provide deodorant for our bins or perfume!'
Despite her stern campaign for the local ordinance, Ms Vernon made it clear that the council would not send officers to 'go and smell other people's rubbish bins' if that's what the residents are concerned about.
While some people have voiced opposition to the change, others have defended it by arguing that the residents need to be more mindful about where they put their rubbish.
'I mean, if your bins smell, it's because you are lazy - and that's on you,' said another local.
Do we have any members from Victoria Park here? What are your thoughts about this new regulation that is being implemented?
And for the rest of you lot, how would you react if the same law were applied in your local area? Would you contest it, or show your support? Let us know in the comments!