MORE bins will be temporarily installed at beaches between Aspendale and Carrum in a bid to stop rubbish from blowing into the bay.
Throughout this summer, rubbish has been seen overflowing from Kingston Council’s bins at its beaches. Residents have reported that rubbish left over the weekend isn’t picked up until Monday afternoon (“Rubbish piles up at beach” The News 7/2/2024).
Last week, Kingston councillors agreed to place an extra red-lid bin at 35 foreshore entrances between Carrum and Aspendale until April. Councillor Georgina Oxley was behind the push for more bins. Her motion read that “this issue has been ongoing for an unacceptable period of time with council unable to manage the peak season of foreshore usage with regard to rubbish.” “Council has been aware of numerous days between early January to now where rubbish has been overflowing at bins along the foreshore area between Aspendale and Carrum and blowing along the foreshore and into the bay,” her motion read. “Most recently over the weekend of 10 and 11 February the issue of overflowing bins along the foreshore has still yet to be resolved and rubbish still continues to overflow from bins and into the bay most recently reported at 9.15am on 12th February. “This issue is reoccurring. The issue is not ‘unprecedented’, and has occurred previously and responses including deployment of extra bins, skip bins and additional collections have occurred in prior years.” Council also agreed to install new signage directing beachgoers towards bins, and will prepare a report on possible future changes to its rubbish collection at the foreshore.
In a response to the notice of motion, Kingston council officers wrote “additional bins will be placed at key entrances to the foreshore. These locations will be selected based on evidence of use. “Staff will continue to monitor these locations and assess whether the additional bins provided are adequate, and that the frequency of waste collection is servicing the demand and removing waste effectively and in a timely manner.” The motion for more bins was approved by a majority of Kingston councillors at their most recent public meeting.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone Times – 6th March 2024
