If you supply it, they will overfill it.
That seems to be the conclusion drawn by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service after it removed recently added ‘extra’ rubbish bins at a popular picnic area in Wyrrabalong National Park.
Early last year, the service doubled the number of bins at the Bateau Bay Beach picnic area from four to eight in response to more people visiting the park and the adjacent beach.
However, it seems that the bins ultimately proved to be a victim of their own success.
The Coast Community News reports that they have now been taken away because there was suddenly ‘too much’ rubbish.
When litter bins are added, they can be 'too well' used. PIC congerdesign / Pixabay
“Unfortunately, this had the opposite effect and the amount of rubbish increased, especially dumped household waste and litter around the bins which was a hazard to local residents, day visitors and the native wildlife,” a NPWS spokesperson told the newspaper. “It got to a point where the contracted collection service providers were not able to feasibly undertake collections at this location.”
After much consideration, the National Parks and Wildlife Service said it removed the bins due to excessive cost and problems.
Since the bins were taken away in October last year, there is reportedly less litter.
“Litter levels remain low in the area and a lot less compared to when the bins were present,” the spokesperson said.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service says this is not the first time it has successfully reduced litter issues by removing bins. The Coast Community News reports it has previously done so at other locations, including Munmorah State Conservation Area, Bouddi National Park and other parts of Wyrrabalong National Park.
“NPWS is committed to reducing waste in Wyrrabalong National Park’s Bateau Bay Beach picnic area and will continue to regularly maintain this area and remove rubbish,” the spokesperson said.
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It was probably the locals that are to lazy to take their rubbish to the tip, very rare that a camper throws away houshold items.
I think you’re right Malcolm.
Associated with the problem is that instead of locals paying dump fees in their rates they are charged exorbitant fees to use the local dumpsites. Sometimes they have to pay from their rates as well as a dumpsite charge.
Go into the bush or forest and you will see tons of dumped whitegoods, household items and tyres..
I spoke with a bushfire bloke last year who just finished fighting a fire in the bush.
He said the majority of their time was spent trying to extinguish the hundreds of dumped tyres.
The local councils need to put their practical thinking caps on and find a better solution as this will continue.
Cheers.
Not necessarily. We are full-time in a large motorhome so generate exactly the same sort of rubbish as we do back home – including our mail that we pick up from post offices on the way. When is a household not a household?
Actually we generate far less rubbish as we seldom buy big household items with lots of packaging. If we do buy a big item we unpack it in the store snd they deal with the cardboard and foam. We buy food items with minimum wrapping and packaging. Our household rubbish goes in a bread bag or vegetable bag and we squash it down tight as possible, removing air so it takes up less space. Simple sense. Why put a huge black garbage bag full of air in a small bin?? We can all do better.
It was daily rubbish in this instance and actually mostly from visitors including food waste – maybe the large numbers of day visitor campervans too. i.e not the locals.
The Central Coast has 6 free pick ups per household per year (booked with ease) and hence not the dumping in this case. But removing the bins does seem to encourage people to take there rubbish away with them.
Another cost cutting exercise. The government have cut National Park Service budgets drastically over many years resulting in substantial staff cuts. They won’t have employ someone to empty the bins now.
From what I have seen, there are 2 types of people. Those who will properly dispose of their litter, whether in bins if they are available or take it with them to dispose of it elsewhere, or those who will just dump it on the ground, whether there is a bin available or not. Take a walk down the side of a major highway and see how much litter has just been chucked out the window.
I have no objection to removing all rubbish bins at major free attractions PROVIDED each town has a large dumpster bin we can use. As responsible motorhomers I have no problem storing our rubbish for a few days, but I do object to having to then chase around to find a waste transfer station and then drive ten km out of town to find it (often closed grrrr) and then have to pay several dollars to get rid of it.
I already pay council rates covering water supply, sewage service and rubbish collection back home so I fully expect to get those supplied for free when we travel. Already never pay for water and black and grey dump and I’m not about to pay to get rid of the rubbish we generate as a direct result of shopping locally.
As for national parks! If they charge an entrance fee and camping fees then yes, of course they MUST provide rubbish bins for their paying customers.
Maybe a dumpster inside the park (just out of sight) before we exit the park. Then no emptying of bins – we do this ourselves.
I would like rangers to spend their precious time improving the park not cleaning and tidying. There will always be cuts to staff!!
I find it incredible that if the rubbish bin is full many campers just drop their rubbish by the bin. Many times if the bin is full it just takes a bit of compacting to fit more in the bin. Please don’t leave rubbish by the bin just take your rubbish with you.
Not sure about where the rubbish comes from, but bins seemed to get filled to overflowing and then either (or both) the rubbish blows away or the crows get stuck into it littering the area. Ultimately it is people, travellers and/or locals, it doesn’t matter – why overfill a rubbish bin – take it with you
Just laziness and lack of thought as well as disregard for the environment.
We have no problems with the view that when it comes to rubbish, if you bring it in then you carry it out. We have like so many a rubbish bag on the rear of the van. My concern is often once you leave the camping area you still require somewhere to dispose of you rubbish and as we are full time travellers we can’t take it home with us.
We found recently that when interstate that local tips/recycling centres would not take interstate vehicles, “they are for local residents”
we have 2 120ltr wheelie bins under the bus, we use these centres at normally $10-20 a fortnight instead of filling public bins
interesting times we live in
Dumped household waste, That would be from the local residents would it not,
I drive a very large M/H, I generate very little waste, Which all goes into my onboard Bin,
In 6000 Kays around Victoria, I have used a dump point once in Shepparton, And that was just to see how it worked, And I was driving past it,
The only thing I leave behind is tyre tracks, Sometimes, Not always, On gravel, = Nothing,
Yes,! it should be that you take your own rubbish with yoU to a place of disposal in the nearest Town ETC.
I believe as a caravan traveller it would benefit if there was an allocated bin (for example in each town) for general disposal but unfortunately believe the locals would possibly take advantage of them, on the other hand during our travels we never had the need or would dump rubbish- you wouldn’t dump it in your backyard so why would you elsewhere?
During our travels for example parts of NT & WA we were astonished on the amount or rubbish alongside the roads especially closer to towns so wouldn’t it make more sense to install more bins or even dump masters rather than removing them? – with today’s technology install security cameras to catch the culprits who are dumpers and fine them to help pay for services supplied?
Broken camping chairs, tinnies, nappies, food scraps, other camping broken stuff, I’ve seen in bins and around bins. Also dumped in bush. This is an issue for wildlife, firefighters with fighting fires in the bush. I really think we have to just put the bins back or have dumpbins. Rubbish saved out of bins only ends up dumped in our bush! False economy!
On our third straight year on the road rubbish is a major problem and eyesore everywhere we go around the country. It’s not just locals either as we’ve seen many nomads who are equally to blame! Our rubbish for 5 to 7 days fits into one doggie bag! We bury our compostable stuff and carry our recycling until we find a recycling bin to reduce our impact on the environment. If we can buy and carry stuff when they are full of drinks or food we can also carry them empty to recycle at a suitable location. Most towns have recycling services even if you have to ask local residents who are more than happy to add our recycling to their bins. It’s a shame to see so many recylable materials filling garbage bins and eventually going into landfill.To say thank you for many camp sites, rest stops and free camps that we use we also carry a rubbish picker and some garbage bags to clean up rubbish that we see frequently at these places. It’s a great way to stretch after a day on the road walking around camping sites picking up rubbish. Also gives our partners a break!! No use complaining let’s get off our bums and clean up Australia everyday to keep our environment beautiful and clean. We might even inspire others to join or at least be more responsible with their rubbish and recycling. It’s in our hands. Will you join so we leave a better environment for our children and grand children?