Residents report revolting problem with new Victorian waste scheme

Households are up in arms over the introduction of a new waste collection scheme that demands they hold onto stinky rubbish for two weeks.

Households across Victoria have had the frequency of their general rubbish collection cut in half as part of the state’s bold new “four-stream” waste management system.

The scheme, so far in place for more than half a dozen Victorian councils, requires residents to either find a way to shove two weeks’ worth of rubbish into their regular red-lidded bin or fork out for a bigger one.

Weekly collections have been replaced by the new Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) system under the four-stream plan, which in five years will be rolled out in all of the state’s 79 councils.

Under the scheme, every council is required to have standardised bin colours and names by 2027, with collection cycles to be determined by each council.

The fortnightly general waste pick-up, which has been introduced for Bayside, Banyule, Monash, Glen Eira, Boroondara and Nillumbik councils, has created sharp division among residents.

Households with babies and pets have complained about the burden of holding onto bags of excrement in the home for 14 days, while images have shown public bins bubbling over with dumped waste.

This was the disgusting state at a Bayside public park which residents suspect was caused by reduced bin collections. Picture: Facebook

Large households have the option to have their 140 litre red lid bin switched to a 240 litre bin, but will be charged a considerable fee on top of their regular rates.

When quizzed on why the FOGO bins were collected weekly and household waste fortnightly, councils claimed most household waste was made up of organic matter that would typically end up in landfill.

“Evidence tells us a weekly collection of the smelliest items like food is best done weekly to keep food out of landfill,” a worker from Knox City Council – which will roll out the program next year – reportedly told one concerned resident.

Elsewhere, the scheme received a barrage of complaints from residents suffering having to contain soiled nappies and bags of animal poo for a fortnight.

“Having a large family, we normally fill this bin once a week. So now you have moved the pick up to fortnightly, I am wondering what I do with the three bags of waste I have sitting at my house weekly,” a Monash resident posted to the council on Facebook.

There was considerable concern the reduced collection would see public bins and nature strips become dumping grounds for household waste.

“I’m all for recycling and have been doing this for years, but imagine walking past the general rubbish bins that have been sitting there for two weeks with dog poo, kitty litter and used nappies in the summer,” a Bayside resident wrote to Facebook.

A fellow Bayside community member shared a photo of a street bin overflowing with what looked like bags of poo.

Dumping of household rubbish in public bins has become common in Boroondara, according to residents. Picture: Facebook

“This is what happens to street bins when you remove weekly dog poo/ human baby poo pick-up. Everyone dumps dog poo in street bins near local buses and contaminates the streets and waterways as it’s overflowing onto the street,” they wrote.

Similarly, residents of Boroondara, where general waste has been on a fortnightly collection cycle for two years, were significantly concerned.

“The biweekly pick up of our smaller sized bin is meaning we will have an overflowing bin and have to dump extra rubbish on the nature strip next pick-up,” one resident wrote.

“Changing the regular rubbish collection cycle feels more like reducing the service we pay for,” another said.

Those in Knox, where the scheme hasn’t been rolled out yet, predicted they too would be inconvenienced by the change.

“My rubbish bin is full to the top every week, so if you are going to start collecting it fortnightly, I will drop my over flowing rubbish down at Knox City Council. How ridiculous to do fortnightly rubbish. I pay enough in my rates it should be collected weekly,” one wrote.

“So where should I bin my dog poo collection? Cat poo and litter? I don’t want that sitting in my bins for two weeks … it’s bad enough one week. Imagine over summer, the smell. It seems the more we pay in our rates, the less we are getting in return,” another said.

By 2027, all Victorian councils will have four streamlined waste management processes including all general waste being called “household rubbish” and having a red lid, a FOGO bin with a green lid, a mixed recycling bin with a yellow lid, and a glass bin with a purple lid.