By Goya Dmytryshchak
Hobsons Bay residents have expressed health concerns over the council’s new food waste collection under a new four-bin recycling service being rolled out this month.
Bin liners, including compostable ones, are not allowed in the food and garden waste bins collected weekly. Garbage and recycling bins will be collected fortnightly and glass bins, monthly.
Waste permitted in the green-lidded bins includes meat, seafood, bones, fruit, vegetables, pasta and dairy, which will be recycled into compost.
Altona North resident Leon Van Den Oever said he was concerned that liners were not permitted in the food waste bins.
“Food’s going to stick to it,” he said.
“It’s just going to create flies – not just flies. It’s going to be a hygiene problem.”
The public housing resident said he had a disability and could not wash his bin.
Mr Van Den Oever said he also had to put up with numerous people’s bins lined up outside his home.
“I can imagine the smell of raw food rotting in those bins, in front of my place,” he said.
Other residents have taken to social media to voice concerns about ants and maggots already appearing.
Hobsons Bay mayor Colleen Gates said the council’s service did not allow any bags or bin liners, even compostable ones, as it “causes the food to break down unevenly”.
“Our contractors use a different kind of technology to those servicing councils that allow bags, and they also can’t tell the difference between compostable and non-compostable bags, making it unreasonable for our contractors to pick them out during processing,” she said.
“We have had positive feedback from residents who are already using the food and garden waste bin, that layering or covering food waste with leaves, grass clippings or straw helps stop maggots and odours.
“We anticipate that adjusting to the new service will take some time for some of our residents.
“However, we also anticipate that the new service will help raise awareness of the amount of food waste being generated in the first instance, and how making conscious reductions will not only lessen your environmental footprint, it will also help you save money.”
Related: Four bin recycling set to begin
Food waste bins are being audited. If you have any thoughts about the new system, email goya.dmytryshchak@starweekly.com.au
