Residents up in arms over controversial bin change

A major rubbish bin change that will affect millions of Australians has left residents fuming.

To align with the Victorian Government’s new recycling policy, the Mitchell Shire Council, located north of Melbourne, will introduce a new 4-bin system in March 2025.

Alongside the current red (general rubbish), yellow (mixed recycling) and green (food and garden organics) bins, a brand new purple bin will join the line up, which will be used for glass recycling.

The collection days will also be changing, with the general rubbish red bins now only being collected every fortnight instead of weekly.

The green food and garden organics will now be collected weekly, while the new purple bin will be collected once a month.

The yellow mixed recycling bin will continue to be collected every two weeks.

According to the Mitchell Council website, the initiative “aligns with the Victorian Government’s goal to reduce landfill waste and support recycling”.

After announcing the changes online, many locals expressed their frustration and concern over the new bins.

“Fortnightly general rubbish? Clearly not enough for families with children in nappies,” one said.

“I’m sure they can’t be put in other categories either. Mitchell Shire do better!”

“Fortnightly general waste collection is certainly a joke,” another commented.

“Majority of houses already have bins overflowing and crows feasting weekly.

“For homes in newer estates where houses are knocked up with no space, where are 4 bins meant to be stored?”

“I have a large family of 7 and a toddler in nappies,” one added.

“My bin is already full each week. A fortnight collection I’ll have rubbish left over rotting in my yard, causing disgusting smells and I will then be charged a fortune to take it to the local tip.”

“Dog faeces and kitty litter sitting around for two weeks? What about nappies etc being hoarded for two weeks?” another asked.

“Unhygienic, this is a first-world country, not third world, we should have the best hygiene, not hoarding waste.”

News.com.au has contacted Mitchell Council for comment.

There has been further outcry in other states as bin changes sweep the country.

Locals in the Perth suburb of Belmont were up in arms earlier this year after the local council announced they would be decreasing the size of their wheelie bins as well as reducing collection days from once a week to once a fortnight.

“Wait, so now our regular rubbish bin is a third of the size and only goes out every second week? Am I missing something? Nappies alone, this bin is full in a week, wtf,” they posted on Reddit.

Others agreed the move doesn’t work for all.

“We have a property with two houses and eight people between them, and two red bins is not enough for us; they are always full,” one wrote.

Another quipped: “And I bet your council rates don’t get reduced for the lesser service.”

The city recently approved a tender for a contract with Veolia to manage its waste, including transitioning from a two-bin to a three-bin food organics and garden organics (FOGO) system.

As part of its Waste Strategy 2030, the state government requires all local governments to adopt a three-bin system by 2025, which involves separating organic waste from general waste.

It’s hoped the new system, which has been adopted by more than 230 councils nationwide, will reduce landfill waste, promote better sorting of waste at home and increase recycling.

In September last year, anger mounted in Sydney’s inner west as bins were being collected fortnightly – and not weekly – as part of changes to the council’s waste strategy.

Sanitary products, nappies and pet litter remain red bin items, which are collected every two weeks.

Families raised concerns about the smell, rodents and potential overflowing bins, especially during the summer’s sweltering temperatures.