Locals up in arms over council’s method to police incorrect bin use

Residents of a Melbourne suburb have raised reservations over a method the local council is using to clamp down on incorrect bin use.

Debate has surged in a small community after a council move described as a “bit creepy” sparked a rift among residents.

A local of Bentleigh East, southeast of Melbourne, emerged from his home on Monday to discover a tag had been secretly attached to two of his bins with information on what they should be used for.

Upset by the move – supposedly executed by a council worker – he took to Facebook to air his grievances.

“Found this on all the bins in my street this morning. Anyone else find this a tad creepy?” his post to a community group read.

Several others seemed to share in his frustration with one describing the act “infuriating” and another going as far to say the bin system was “sickening”.

Residents were most upset that a council worker had been doing the rounds, checking on household bins to see who had been using them incorrectly.

Residents of a Melbourne community are fuming over a council bin manoeuvre. Picture: Facebook

Its understood the information tags were placed only on bins that had been incorrectly used.

“Creepy and weird. It’s like the garbage grinch has been crawling around our bins in the middle of the night making sure we’ve all been good little girls and boys,” the man behind the post wrote in a comment.

Others were peeved that taxpayer money was being used to pay the salary of the person completing the checks.

“I find this infuriating. We pay for printing of those and for people who have looked in the bins and placed the tags. Instead of paying for that, we could have paid for the contract with a company who accepts compostable bags,” one wrote.

They were referencing the fact that green bins in the Glen Eira council area could not receive compostable packaging or biodegradable bags like in other jurisdictions.

Someone else argued tossing loose food items straight in the bin was rather disgusting.

“The thought of bringing the waste/leftovers and throwing it directly in the bins to rot away in my garage is quite sickening. If compostable bags are not acceptable, what other options do I have?” she wrote.

Others were curious how much the people doing the tagging were being paid.

“Whose job is this and how do I get one? Imagine the money these people are on doing this at all hours of the night. What a great way to spend our rates,” one wrote.

Not everyone was opposed to the initiative however, with some praising the council bin checking and application of tags to bins with incorrect items inside.

“I think it’s great initiative as we all need to be kept on our toes,” one comment read.

“Not sure how this is creepy. They are trying to educate you on waste collection. Would be creepy if it were advertising for a cafe or something completely unrelated,” another said.

News.com.au has contacted the Glen Eira council for comment.

Originally published as Locals up in arms over council’s method to police incorrect bin use