Suburb’s eye-watering new bin punishment as residents face $5000 fine

Residents of one Australian suburb face a truly gigantic fine if they make this one “rubbish” mistake with their waste bins.

Residents in a Perth suburb face a substantial fine if they let their rubbish bins get too smelly after a new wheely bin was introduced.

Those living in Victoria Park could be hit with a fine of up to $5000 if their green-topped garden organics bin attracts a bad odour according to a new local law.

The new law is intended to make sure that people sort their rubbish correctly in the new bin, Mayor Karen Vernon told 6PR.

“We will need some powers, as a local council, to be able to make that behaviour change appropriately,” she said.

The green bin takes organic waste such as grass clippings and garden waste.

Outraged residents have taken to social media to express their anger at the “rubbish” move.

“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 said 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.

Cr Vernon described rumours that the council would be ‘’employing bin smellers’’ as ’’exaggerated’’.

Mayor Karen Vernon said that the council would not be employing "bin smellers".

“That certainly doesn’t mean we will be employing people to go smell other people’s bins,’’ she said.

Others have expressed support for the move, saying residents should be doing more with their bins.

“I mean, if your bins smell, it‘s because you are lazy and that’s on you,” Kendall Mulvena-Trinder said.

The law was prompted by the introduction of a third bin for garden organics including grass clippings, leaves, weeds and sticks.

The council is hoping to allow residents to dispose of food organics in the green bin in the “not too distant future”.

“What is really important is that the contents of that third bin is just organic material, so it can be processed into compost.”

Originally published as Suburb’s eye-watering new bin punishment as residents face $5000 fine