City of Stonnington’s proposed 12-month ’bin feedback program’ to monitor recycling behaviour

Some Melbourne suburbs are set to introduce ‘rubbish cops’ who will take photos of bins to catch people doing the wrong thing.

Malvern East resident Niki Dimopoulos says she hopes people’s privacy is protected. Picture: Rob Leeson.

Residents with bad recycling habits will have their bin contents photographed, and some face being doorknocked by the local council’s “rubbish cops” under a proposed trial.

City of Stonnington, which includes Malvern and Armadale, is not happy with residents who contaminate their recycling bins with the wrong materials or incorrectly lump recyclable stuff with garbage headed for the tip.

Under a plan to be considered by a council meeting on Monday, the council will hold a 12-month “bin feedback program” to monitor recycling behaviour after an initial three-month education campaign.

Households selected at random will have their bins checked, and if recycling offences are detected, photos of rubbish will be taken, notes left on bins and information leaflets put in letter boxes.

A second transgression will result in an education letter being sent, while a third offence will trigger a phone call, and for people living in units, a possible visit by a council “waste education officer”.

Bin inspectors will have the right to investigate the top 20 per cent of bin contents, which may involve shifting some items.

The scheme will involve council workers taking photos of people’s bins. Picture: Rob Leeson

“Bins will not be left uncollected (and) will not be rummaged through or emptied, and no materials will be removed,” said the report before Monday’s meeting.

Opposing the move, Stonnington councillor Alexander Lew said councils needed to stop harassing people.

“It’s not appropriate for council ‘rubbish cops’ to go rifling through people’s bins, taking photos,” he said.

“This policy of mass surveillance, which the Greens are supporting, is Orwellian.”

Ratepayers Stonnington president Dean Hurlston accused the council of going against its mutual respect charter.

“How is this showing the resident respect when you are shaming them, belittling them and sticking them on surveillance lists to make sure they are doing the right thing,” he said.

“They are a service provider, not a secret police bureau.”

Malvern East resident Niki Dimopoulos said that promoting proper recycling was important, but she had concerns about bin inspections.

“I understand we all need better education on this issue, but I hope it’s done in a respectful manner, and that privacy is protected,” she said.

Institute of Public Affairs communications director Evan Mulholland said that looking through ratepayers’ bins was a creepy invasion of privacy by Stonnington.

“Big Brother is not only watching you, it’s now sorting through your trash,” he said.

Stonnington is acting because bin contamination and loss of recyclable material have big financial and environmental impacts, potentially costing the council about $500,000 in extra costs annually from penalties and high landfill costs.

It's understood home visits would only happen as a last resort in apartment buildings with ongoing issues.

Council maintains that similar programs have been introduced successfully at other municipalities, and the proposed program was education rather than enforcement based.