A SCRAP is brewing over the City of Greater Bendigo’s move to introduce a third bin into the already crowded rubbish collection cycle.

More than a few residents in the designated trial areas believe the addition of the lime green-lidded organic receptacles is a waste of time.

Some make the point that having to wait a fortnight between general rubbish collections will leave their bins reeking, especially in the hot summer months.

Others argue that having three bins to store somewhere around the home, particularly for people living in small, garden-less flats, will prove an unnecessary challenge.

And more than 450 residents think the council’s idea and its inevitable impact on established business Greenaway Bins is so on the nose that they have signed a petition in protest.

There is no doubt all these arguments have merit and will be put to the council when the trial period begins in parts of Kennington, Strathdale, East Bendigo, White Hills and North Bendigo next month.

But, unfortunately for those opposed to the service, these gripes do not outweigh the benefits.

For both economic and environmental reasons, the council is determined to reduce the amount of rubbish winding up in the city’s landfills.

Each year the council forks out more than $3.4 million to the state government to cover the levies imposed on each tonne of landfill-bound waste.

Considering about 50 per cent of all junk tossed into residential rubbish bins is food or garden matter that could easily be recycled, there is the potential for significant savings.

It must be remembered that the council does have a civic duty to reduce the city’s imprint on the environment wherever possible.

According to the council, rotting organic waste is the main culprit when it comes to pollution – namely methane gas – emanating from the landfill.

The new service, which will be rolled out to the rest of urban Bendigo on July 1 next year, has been described by mayor Peter Cox as the “biggest change” to the city’s waste arrangements in 30 years.

The long-term benefits for Bendigo are simply too great to ignore.