“Essentially, they’re rummaging through the bins in order to locate containers that can be deposited in NSW under that state’s container deposit scheme,” Campaspe Shire Council general manager community Keith Oberin said.
“The scheme allows containers to be dropped at designated sites in NSW for a 10 cent rebate on each container.”
Mr Oberin said the people pillaging Victorian bins for the rebate were ultimately engaging in unlawful behaviour, because it was illegal to claim the NSW rebate with Victorian waste.
“But not only that, people digging through private kerbside bins or skip bins violate the privacy of that household or business, as they may stumble upon private mail and documents that have not been cut up or shredded,” he said.
“We have also received complaints that people are actually stealing the bins to go through them away from the street side.
“Safety is another serious concern. Hazardous materials, such as sharp objects, can be located in bins. While it’s hard to imagine, we have received reports that people are putting their children into the skip bins for them to search through.”
“Scavenging through bins is illegal, can be a breach of privacy and is extremely unsafe, so we strongly urge that this behaviour be discontinued.”
Mr Oberin said the rules of the container deposit scheme were being flouted.
“The container deposit scheme itself is a magnificent program. It encourages recycling in the way of a 10 cent reward,” he said.
“When the scheme comes to Victoria in 2023, yes, I encourage community members to collect their containers and deposit them at a drop-off site. However, keep your container collecting to your own waste.”
If you witness illegal bin searching, please report it to council on 1300 666 535.
