$5000 fine for smelly bins set to cause a huge stink
New rules introduced in a Perth suburb could see them face a fine of up to $5,000 if their rubbish bins get too smelly.
A new law could see residents of Victoria Park cop a hefty fine if their green-lidded Garden Organics (GO) bins have a bad odour, which were introduced for the disposal of grass clippings, weeds, leaves and sticks.
Mayor Karen Vernon told 6PR the fine was introduced in a bid to ensure people sorted their rubbish correctly.
“We will need some powers, as a local council, to be able to make that behaviour change appropriately,” she said.
“So what’s really important is that the contents of that third bin is just organic material, so there needs to be no level of contamination in there, that’s what makes an organic collection process to work really well,” she said.
While some have shared their support for the move, others have taken to social media to critique the “rubbish” decision.
“Fining someone because their rubbish bin smells, should be a council service to disinfect bins when emptied. We pay astronomical rates let‘s see them justified,” Sheldon Baker wrote on Facebook.
“Omg who seriously has clean smelling rubbish after a week in an outside bin? Maybe they can provide deodorant for our bins or perfume!” Christine Stephan said.
“I mean, if your bins smell, it‘s because you are lazy and that’s on you,” Kendall Mulvena-Trinder said.
Rumours have also emerged that the council would employ “bin smellers” as part of the decision, with Councillor Vernon dismissing them as “exaggerated”.
“That certainly doesn’t mean we will be employing people to go smell other people’s bins,’’ she said.
While the GO bin is currently restricted to garden waste, the council is hoping to expand this to food organics in the “not too distant future”.
Image: @townofvicpark (Instagram)