Flat Chat Strata Forum Common Property Current Page

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #52314
    TM_15
    Flatchatter

      My Council has issued information regarding the new FOGO (food organics garden organics) service to be rolled out in March 2021.  FOGO bins for foods scraps and green waste will be collected one a week, while red bins (garbage) and yellow bins (recycling) will be collected fortnightly on an alternate week.

      Our block has been participating in the Council <i>Food Scraps Trial </i>since August 2018. I estimate in our block of 12 lots, only half of the residents choose to use separate food and garbage. Unfortunately, this results in all 6 red bins full on a weekly basis.

      My concern is the alternating week red bin collection does not work for strata properties. Our bin bay area is visible and accessible to the street, where plenty of coffee drinkers and dog walkers leave their waste in our red bins. There is no leeway for tenants moving out and new ones moving in to add to the red bins without causing problems.

      As the food scraps trial was my initiative I go out of my way to inform new residents of the service, ordering kitchen caddies for use. Free compost bags from the Council are stored in the common stairwell for easy access. I am not confident of the take up from those who are not doing so already.

    Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
    • Author
      Replies
    • #52320
      Jimmy-T
      Keymaster

        And I thought FOGO was Fear of Getting Old.

        I’d start with the softly, softly approach. I’m thinking cheese, wine and a chat with your neighbours. How about a half-year, post-covid catch-up to talk about everything that’s been going on in the block. Make it a semi-social occasion but introduce a chat about the bins (and anything else that your neighbours may want to talk about).

        If that doesn’t work, direct action, like returning mixed garbage to its owners (there’s always an addressed envelope in the bag) might have to be considered.

        Hey. if digging through garbage bins is good enough for tabloid journalists, it’s good enough for saving the planet.

        The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
        #52321
        TM_15
        Flatchatter
        Chat-starter

          Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I already sort the bins a couple times a week: flattening boxes, rescuing recyclables from the red bin, pulling garage from the recycling bin. Signage is easily ignored, too many tenants are stuck in a vicious cycle of quick convenience and disinterest in doing the right thing.

          If there was a fine or penalty for not sorting the waste properly that is billed direct to individual lots then I am not confident of behavioral change.

          I’m considering enclosing current brick bin bay area so deter the pedestrians using the bins for a start but in doing so might make it challenging to see foot and car traffic when exiting the driveway. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has used bin locks or enclosing the bin area etc.

          #52352
          shedsrus
          Flatchatter

            Well TM_15,

            Good luck with all of that but unfortunately, in my experience of some ten years, it ain’t gonna work.

            Reason(s)?

            AirBnBers don’t give rat’s a**e which bin they put things in “…’cause they’re just here for a good time”. Assuming they get the stuff that far. Which most don’t as they are only there for a few days so it stays in the apartment until……

            The cleaners come along. But it’s not their job to sort things ’cause time is money.

            And the bins go on Sunday night which is the day before the cleaners clean so the putrid, maggot infested food scraps which sat on the bench upstairs now sit in the bin for two weeks because you missed the cycle.

            And the newest STHLs add to the mess already present.

            The lot owners don’t care because they are anywhere from 2,000 to 25,000 kms away and isn’t that something the STHL enablers, …sorry…., ‘managing’ RE Agents (who have, by the way, now become serviced apartment head contractors providing linen and cleaning services) are supposed to take care of?

            Well, no. Not their job either because ‘somebody in the strata’ sorts out the bins.

            You can try getting the gardner to take the excess detritus to the waste facility – at cost – and on-charge the lot-owner.

            But the Strata Manager won’t do that because it “….will just become a fight we won’t win…” as to whose rubbish it actually is. “….unless there is video evidence proving who did what….”, which you won’t have because people won’t agree to having cameras recording their every movement.

            So yes, Jimmy, the softly-softly approach can go some way in some circumstances to providing a solution and TM_15 hasn’t mentions STHLs but again, in my experience, nobody telegraphs (is that still a thing?) their intention to STHL their unit. But they do. And you know they have when the rubbish bins tell you, especially when councils instigate changes to their collection schedules.

            Now please excuse me while I go and sort out the eighteen wheely bins our six-unit complex has need to manage.

            #52365
            kaindub
            Flatchatter

              I hate to say it but TM15 you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

              Whilst you sort rubbish and tidy things up, the rest of the residents don’t perceive there is a problem.

              For a short time let the bins be full.

              When other residents realize that the problem exists, then you can rally them and move forward with a solution.

              And the solution is not more bylaws, because as someone else pointed out, yo7 have to catch the miscreants

              #52368
              sleepless in strata
              Flatchatter
              (from NSW)

                Hi TM_15,

                Waste disposal is an ongoing issue in strata that is for sure – all part of the joys of community living.

                Sounds like I am in the same local government area & am planning on embarking on a bit of an education program within the scheme I have moved into around garbage. I wonder if a bit of collaboration maybe useful for us both.
                I have contacted the council waste team and they are extremely supportive of any champions within strata buildings.
                Send us an email if you think it would of value to compare notes.

                Tonja.gibson@strataanswers.com.au

                 

                #52369
                TM_15
                Flatchatter
                Chat-starter

                  Thanks shedsrus for your reply. There are no signs of STHL but there is sub-letting that takes place. There are two waste issues at play at our block – from the street and tenants.

                  On occasion I have found commercial waste – bundles of newspapers, corporate flyers etc. We also have a few regulars who shift through the recycling bins for bottles (return and earn) which I support, they are tidy and it helps to reduce our overall volume in between the fortnightly collection.

                  In our building there are two lots whom I can identify and have witnessed on many occasions excessive waste, which unfortunately cannot be separated as part of the FOGO system. It stems from the gig economy jobs and life style choices – plastic & paper packaging from home delivered meals. Cleaning wipes, disposable face masks, water bottles generated daily in at least 2 big plastic bags from car riding shifts.

                Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
                • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                Flat Chat Strata Forum Common Property Current Page