Photo shows big bin change for Aussies to tackle 480kg issue: 'Not sustainable'
New FOGO bins and much smaller general waste bin are about to land in one WA local government area, as part of a massive change creeping across the nation.
Another local government area has joined the growing list of suburbs across the country to adopt the FOGO bin scheme, which authorities say is intended to divert "significant amounts of organic waste from landfill" but has seen some residents bristle at what the change means for their weekly waster collection.
While the rollout of the FOGO bins — for food organics and garden organics — has varied from state to state, generally councils supply them to Aussies with the view they will be put out to be collected weekly, while pick-up of the traditional red-lidded bins for general waste is scaled back to fortnightly.
Such is the case in the City of Kalamunda, which encompasses suburbs east of Perth's CBD, where residents were reminded on Thursday about the change to take place from next week.
In photos taking locals "behind the scenes", the council showed the seemingly endless row of new general waste as well as FOGO bins destined for residents from September 2.
"Currently, residents within the City of Kalamunda, generate about 480kg of waste per annum per resident, which is the seventh highest within the 32 Councils that make up the Perth and Peel region," the City said.
"Of this 480kg, only 22 per cent is diverted away from landfill. The current waste system is not sustainable or in line with best practice kerbside collection."
Like other councils across the country, authorities hope the new system will drastically change those numbers.
The new red lid bins, that can hold just 140L worth of waste, represent a big reduction in size compared to their 240L counterparts, meaning residents will need to be more judicious with how they dispose of their landfill waste.
Mixed reviews from Aussies after FOGO bin introduction
This particular aspect has garnered criticism in Perth in recent weeks, with larger families especially questioning how they will fare with a single 140L bin to work with across an entire fortnight. It's an issue multiple councils around Australia are grappling with after making the FOGO change, with many families claiming their red bins — filled with products such as used nappies — can start to smell and overflow.
The City of Kalamunda is the latest LGA in Perth to make the switch, joining more than 20 councils across the city. Nationally, there are over 230 councils that have made the FOGO change. Online this week, some West Aussies were critical of the roll-out.
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"Are you providing for the young families that have nappies? Because having that bin sit here for 2 weeks is going to stink," one resident replied to the council on Friday. "I wish we actually had the option to decide on this," one woman said.
"What do we do with the extra general waste now that you have reduced that capacity by 70 per cent," one local commented.
However many appeared supportive of the transition and advocated for the program.
"Excellent, looking forward to it. It'll be good to be able to deal with garden green waste and also send food waste off to compost without having to have a compost pile in my own backyard. Should be a good and positive change despite the naysayers," one man wrote.
Councils' ever-changing bin night routine
Dozens of councils around the country have tweaked their bin systems and collection days throughout the last two years — often to the confusion of locals — with Victoria earlier this month even rolling out a unique purple bin.
In NSW, the Inner West Council, a densely populated and vibrant area, west of the Sydney CBD, has attracted prolonged criticism for their FOGO bin flip-flopping. After council announced it would collect red bins only fortnightly last year, mirroring a move many others had already made around the country, residents responded with outrage. So much so in that in February, the council announced it would revert back to weekly collections through an opt-in service.
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