THE Return and Earn scheme is driving some people to raid their neighbours’ bins in search of bottles and cans.
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Public bins are also being raided, and it has prompted a warning from Central Coast Council.
“In response to increased reports of the scavenging for containers to return under the NSW Return and Earn scheme, Central Coast Council is reminding the community the contents of household and public litter bins are not public property,” a statement from the council said on Monday.
The NSW container deposit scheme was introduced in NSW last December with a number of collection points across the region where recyclable containers can earn 10 cents an item.
Council acting senior manager of business and economic development, Andrew Pearce, said there were concerns about the mess being left behind and invasion of privacy by people raiding residential and public waste recycling bins.
“We have had residents from right across the Coast complain about the mess being left behind after household and public litter bins are having their contents spilt across the ground by those searching for bottles and cans,” Mr Pearce said.
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“This is in direct contrast to what the Return and Earn scheme set out to do, which was to help reduce the volume of litter in the state by 40 per cent by 2020.”
Mr Pearce said since the scheme was introduced, the tonnage of items in household recycling bins was down 10 per cent.
This indicated residents were taking advantage of the container deposit scheme and eligible items are less likely to be found in household bins, he said.
“I can assure our community that any of the redeemable containers correctly placed in the yellow-lidded household or public place recycling bins are being recycled.”
Mr Pearce said council was also working on a number of new initiatives to incorporate its locally recovered recyclables into its own local operations.
“If residents have a reoccurring problem of bin raiders leaving a mess on their street, please report it to council, and if rangers catch them in the act they may issue a $250 on-the-spot fine for littering,” he said.
Around 37,000 tonnes of household recyclables are collected each year through domestic waste and public litter bins, which are delivered directly to a purpose-built recycling facility located at Somersby, the council said.
