A Sydney councillor has proposed a permit system for residents who require their bins to be permanently placed on the street. Source: Yahoo News Australia

Residents in a major inner-city council area may soon be required to obtain a permit to leave their bins out on the street amid rising concerns over hygiene, safety and rodents.

City of Sydney Councillor Adam Worling put forward a motion at Monday’s council meeting after he said he observed dozens of bins left sitting on footpaths and streets well beyond collection day.

He said the abandoned bins created strong odours, posed safety hazards for drivers and people with mobility issues, and attracted vermin. Worling argued that bins left out on the street for extended periods also encouraged people to dump extra waste, often in the wrong bin, and contributed to littering when they were knocked over.

One of the most dense local government areas in NSW, with over 200,000 residents — and 100,000 bins — the City of Sydney covers prominent suburbs including Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Paddington and Waterloo as well as the CBD. According to Worling, residents in Surry Hills, Alexandria and Zetland are the worst offenders.

Many terraces don't have enough space to store their bins on their property and its these people who would be eligible for the permit under the proposal. Source: Yahoo News Australia

Worling's motion put forward a permit system, which would only allow residents with limited space to store their bins out on the kerb. "There are terrace houses that step straight onto the footpath, or they don't have a backyard, so there's nowhere to store it," he told 9News.

"In those situations, you can ask for permission to have your bin stored on the street."

What would a bin permit system look like?

Worling proposed new labels for all bins, showing whether the resident had permission to leave them out and which address they belonged to. "If we want people and we want the community to do the right thing, we just have to give them the guidelines for it. It’s that simple," he said.

Worling’s motion was unanimously passed at Monday’s council meeting. The council will now investigate a programmed response to deal with the issue, noting his suggestions. Yahoo News Australia has contacted the City of Sydney concerning next steps.

Why are bins on the street a problem?

Bins left out on Sydney’s streets pose a range of issues, especially in a city known for its narrow footpaths, high pedestrian traffic, and long-standing struggles with vermin dating back to early European colonisation. Today, it’s also driven by urban density, ageing infrastructure, waste management, and environmental conditions.

Overflowing or unattended bins can obstruct walkways, creating hazards for pedestrians — particularly those with prams and wheelchairs — and force people to step onto busy roads.

They contribute to visual clutter, odour, and littering, especially when bins are knocked over or used by others to dump extra rubbish. Limited storage space in many terrace-style homes and apartments also makes the issue more difficult to manage.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo News Australia at https://au.news.yahoo.com/bin-issue-could-see-residents-forced-to-use-permission-permits-071129619.html