A South Australian council is threatening residents with massive fines for leaving bins on the curb for too long.
Port Adelaide Enfield Council has issued warnings instructing locals not to leave their bins on the pavement for too long.
According to waste management regulations, in force for at least five years, containers can only be left outside between four in the afternoon on the night before garbage collection and midnight the day after collection.
Anyone caught with their container on the curb outside of that time frame now faces a hefty fine of $312.50.
Port Adelaide Enfield receives more than 200 complaints each year regarding containers abandoned on the streets, a spokesperson said.
It is understood the council will contact residents to inform them of the requirement to remove bins from pavements before imposing any fines.
“However, as a last resort expiations may be issued,” the spokesperson said.
The news surprised many residents who did not realize they could receive a fine for simply leaving a container outside.
Port Adelaide Enfield City Council in South Australia has warned residents that fines of $312.50 will be imposed on anyone who leaves their bins on the curb for too long.
Hadi Jafari said his family would have difficulty paying the fine if they were issued one.
“It’s very difficult for people to pay a $300 fine, it’s really a lot of money,” he said. he told the advertiser.
“We would probably have to pay it off over time, I don’t think we could pay it off all at once, so that’s not good.”
Other Australians on social media agreed the fine was excessive.
A man claimed his council had sent him a warning letter for leaving his bin on a quiet side street.
“How do you justify $312 for leaving a container out too long on a quiet back road?” he wrote.
In the case of this man, the publication reported that in the end the city council did not impose any fine on him.
Another resident called the rules “absurd,” while a third dismissed the entire situation as “ridiculous.”
According to municipal regulations, it is only acceptable to leave containers outside between 4:00 pm the night before garbage collection and midnight the day after garbage collection.
Locals took to social media to criticize the costly fine, but the council said it has only imposed four in the last five years (file image)
The city council told the publication that it has only issued four fines in the last five years, despite community outrage.
It is unknown how many warning letters have been sent, as this is a category of general waste management that the council was unable to comment on.
The spokesperson added that leaving bins on the pavement for too long made the neighborhood less accessible.
“Leaving bins out can affect many things, including accessibility for people who walk, are in wheelchairs or pushing baby strollers on sidewalks, and can also affect vehicle and emergency access on streets,” they said. .
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Port Adelaide Enfield Council for comment.