Wollongong's annual free rubbish pick-up was a great service for the citizens, but it certainly did nothing for this city's image to see huge piles of rubbish littering the nature strips, often for weeks when the service was running late.
Under the old regime residents had a progressively advancing date to put rubbish kerbside as the pick-up advanced across the city. Now, people are permitted two free removals each year - by appointment. This booking system ensures a prompt removal that reduces the time an unsightly mess is on view to the public.
There is a limit on the amount of rubbish the council will remove for free. Rubbish should be no more than that contained in an area two metres long, and a metre high and wide - and that creates a new problem.
There is an old saying that " nature abhors a vacuum ". It is a fact of life that few people can resist adding to a pile of rubbish - and the moment a resident with a booking creates a pile it suddenly starts to grow much larger.
Even if this pile is put kerbside late in the day before pick-up there seems to be magic afoot because mysterious additions appear during the hours of darkness.
At least this is preferable to the habits of some citizens, who simply discard unwanted items kerbside at any time of the year - on the basis that eventually people will complain to council and this will have them removed.
At least we are reducing that " Third World " image that drew unfavourable comment from the tourist industry.
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