100kg find in FOGO bin causes controversy among residents: 'People don't care'
Many were shocked as to why the bin was left unemptied by the garbage truck driver, who said it's a common issue.
A garbage truck driver was stumped to come across a bizarrely heavy bin, with the mechanical arm on the side of his truck unable to lift the green-lidded wheelie bin more than a metre or so off the ground. When he curiously looked inside the Food and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin in Frankston, Victoria, what he found has left Australians divided.
When opening the lid, popular online garbo Dylan James discovered the 240-litre bin was almost full to the brim with dirt — a material not allowed in FOGO bins.
Unable to empty the bin due to its weight and contents, he put a sticker on it to let the owner know it was not collected and why — and the reaction from Aussies to the move has been one of confusion and even anger.
The garbage truck operator Dylan James told Yahoo News Australia, this type of issue "happens a lot". "A lot of people don't care what happens to [rubbish] as long as it's empty for the next week," he said.
The responses online to his video of the dirt-filled bin seemed to prove his point, with hundreds replying to James saying they can put whatever they like in their bin.
"The amount I pay in rates... I'm putting whatever I like in there!" someone responded.
Others had not realised dirt was one of the materials not allowed in FOGO bins in Frankston. "That’s literally the point of a green bin," said one. "Where do you get rid of your dirt then?" another asked.
Bin contamination a common and dangerous problem
Frankston City Council states bins "should not weigh more than 70kg", though James thinks the arms of his truck can lift up to around 100 kilograms. This means the bin full of dirt was likely above that weight.
Dirt and soil are not permitted in FOGO bins in the area. Though, bins are often contaminated with incorrect materials according to James.
"It is way worse with recycling bins. The biggest issue is probably plastic bags people put in there," he said. "Also, lithium batteries are a serious issue lately. They explode in the trucks after they are squashed and cause our trucks to set fire."
In fact, just last week another council begged its residents to pay attention to what goes into their household bins after a garbage truck caught fire for the third time in 2024. The fire was thought to be started by a battery incorrectly disposed of.
Not the only council to not permit dirt in FOGO bin
Surprisingly to some, dirt and soil are also not permitted in FOGO bins in certain LGAs, such as Frankston and the Macedon Ranges in Victoria, Vincent Council in WA and Wollongong in NSW. Each council will have guidelines on their website about what is permitted in their area.
In Frankston, where this bin was, only loose and unpackaged food waste, flowers (unwrapped, no packaging), weeds, leaves, shrubs, garden prunings, grass clippings and small branches and twigs are permitted in their green-lidded bins.
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