The city trying to 'shame residents' with see-through wheelie bins
An Adelaide councillor has proposed the city adopts a scheme which lays bare the waste of residents for all to see.
Councillor Robert Simms outlined his idea at a recent waste management workshop where he suggested councils across Adelaide roll out see-through bins in a bid to tackle waste by “shaming” residents who failed to adhere to recycling guidelines.
“It means people are held to account,” he told Yahoo News Australia.
Cr Simms said Adelaide had a “great reputation when it comes to recycling” and highlighted that the city was the first to roll out container deposit schemes in the 70s which have since been adopted across the nation.
Cr Simms’ proposal was successfully trialled in WA by Mindarie Regional Council last year under the name ‘Face Your Waste’, with the councillor looking to further the city’s commitment to the environment.
“It makes sense we should now look at the best options available to us,” he said.
The scheme would allow other residents to observe if their neighbours are recycling incorrectly or producing too much waste.
Gunther Hoppe, chief executive of the MRC, told ABC Radio Perth last year that the bins are intended as conversation starters.
"If you have lots of waste in your bin, we'd love people to have a conversation about reducing it," Mr Hoppe explained.
"Or if someone has a little bit of waste in the bin – we'd love people to ask their neighbour how they manage to get the waste so low."
Residents need to think more about waste
Cr Simms told Yahoo News Australia that the desired effect of the proposal is to get residents thinking more about their waste.
“It also gets you to think a little more carefully... it’s about getting people to think more carefully about the waste they produce,” he said.
Cr Simms will move a motion for the proposal on Tuesday and is hopeful he will receive strong support for the scheme.
He said he would also like to see the bins implemented in public spaces, making it easier for people, especially tourists, to work out which bin their waste can go in.
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