Aussies are just realising this little-known bin night rule

Some people didn't realise it was "a thing" while others said it was a great measure of intelligence.

Eleanor Katelaris

3 min read

September 5, 2024 - 9:57AM

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A simple post about bin night etiquette has sparked conversation online, with Aussies debating whether the way you place your wheelie bins says something about your social intelligence.

The debate, which kicked off in the popular r/australia forum, came after a user shared a photo of their street on bin night.

One household in the photo had spaced their bins perfectly apart, while their neighbours' bins were positioned snugly together, with their lids almost touching.

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Image: Reddit

A sign of social intelligence

In the post, which has now received over 2.6k likes and 500+ comments, the Redditor declared, “The most revealing thing about the social intelligence of any household: How far apart they place their bins.”

He’s implying that people should leave enough space between their bins for the garbage truck’s mechanical arm to grab them, as the household on the left has done.

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One person in the comments said, “I leave a gap because I assume it would be hard for the truck driver to pick them up if they’re too close together. However, I’ve always rented and never been handed instructions on how to place out my bins, and I imagine this is the same for a lot of Aussies.”

Another added, “I dunno about social intelligence. Average everyday intelligence would do. Leave enough space for the things from the truck to get in to pick up the bin.”

Meanwhile, someone else joked: “One household has read council bin placement instructions, the other…”

But while it seemed obvious to some, this person admitted. “Never knew this was a thing.”

"Why not make it easier for them?

Still, not everyone was convinced that the bins needed to be perfectly spaced in order to be picked up.

“I lived in an apartment where there were like 20 all lined up the street with no gap. Somehow, the driver managed to get them all, no problem,” shared one user.

And another agreed that leaving a generous gap isn’t always possible for those in apartment blocks.

“When you live in a unit block with seven units, 14 bins to pick up, one tree and only 13 metres of usable kerb space, sorry, but there isn't room for such niceties,” one person pointed out.

But others said that even though drivers can be highly skilled, they’d still appreciate a bit of help from residents.

“The drivers are generally very good and need nowhere near the recommended gap, but if you’re doing it, why not make it easier for them if you can?” asked one person.

Image: IStock

So, what's the correct way to place your bins?

To clear things up, Kidspot spoke to a spokesperson from Veolia, one of Australia’s leading waste management companies, who set the record straight on the correct way to place your bins.

A spokesperson explained, “Having bins touching happens a lot and it is not helpful at all. That’s because the arm on the collection truck needs to have enough room to be able to reach back and around the bin. Without the gap it makes bin pick-up a much more difficult process and there is a high probability the arm will knock the bin over. This is why most council websites have bin placement guidelines.”

They went on to say: “To be most helpful, bins should be spaced 50 to 100 cms apart, with the bin handles facing the house and the bin lid facing the road.”

They also addressed another common mistake some residents make — putting their bins in the wrong spot altogether.

“We have also noticed that some people put their bins in the gutter. This is a problem as the wheels can catch the kerb and damage the bin, it can jam the side lifter, or even cause the bin to shift as it is being lifted, tipping rubbish onto the ground.”