Waste Collection - pay by the kilogram

Perhaps the wheelie bin is not the best focus. Start by reducing the waste stream.

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Fixing something by taking away the cause is always a great solution.

Finding the tool to create the need for the change or fix appears to be more challenging even when the solutions may be self evident. Some suggestions and comments from August.

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Where I am, all manner of crap is just discarded ‘out bush’. Been that way for decades …

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To wit, I remember my first trip to Cairns around 1972. The only bit that has stayed with me was the amount of [name it] strewn along the roads, mostly broken down, looted, abandoned rusting cars. More recently a tour guide advised that if a vehicle breaks down in many of the not even so remote areas of ‘the bush’ and the driver leaves it (eg to organise repairs or towing), it will almost assuredly be looted before he gets back, and the only viable option becomes abandonment.

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Certainly the low cost option observed in the NT or any “outback” region of the states.

Not 1972 but the 80’s in Sydney a work mate’s car went on an unauthorised pub crawl one night, only to be burnt out before being extinguished in the Paramatta River. The NSW police diligently tracked down the errant vehicle, but not it’s fellow party friends. Guess who was asked to come and pick the wreck up and pay for the cost of the riverine recovery?

:joy: or :cry:

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Just to help the discussion along.

It is possible to change how our rubbish is collected.

If it is done intelligently, yes, which is often beyond governmental entities that prioritise their treasuries first and their politics second.

US Centric, but note the ‘Pay-As-You-Throw’ mention from 2000. Never seen that discussed before, have we? :wink:

http://www.garbagemanday.org/history-of-the-garbage-man/

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It would be very easy to do.

Many recycling bins already have RFID chips…ours does as well as all first generation Brisbane City Council recycling bins. Other local government areas also have them as well:

Bins with Chips

A pressure transducer could also easily be added to the lifting arm of the trucks…however, this would slow the time taken to pick up bins as the truck driver would need to wait until the weight reading stabilises before a record is taken.

What would be easier would be all recycling bins fitted with RFID chips and the contents of the bin is videoed/photographed and RFID registered when tipped. If a truck as significant contamination, the operator/council should determine where the contamination occurred and taken necessary enforcement action against those who don’t think using a recycling bin appropriately is for them.

I expect behaviour would change quickly if one knew there were consequences for contaminating the recycling recycling stream.

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