A council has come under fire over plans to cut back its general waste collection schedule - emptying bins once a fortnight instead of weekly.
Wellington Shire Council, in east Victoria, will roll out Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bins to households between April and mid-June.
These bins will be collected weekly, while red-lid bins will be collected fortnightly, alternating each week with recycling bins.
The move has sparked anger with resident Danielle Azevedo launching a change.org petition, warning the change will negatively impact residents.
'As a young family, we rely heavily on the weekly collection of our rubbish bin, particularly because we have nappies and our bin fills up quickly every week,' she said.
'The newly proposed collection schedule threatens to create a significant waste management issue in our homes and community.
'Overflowing bins could attract pests and vermin, increase unpleasant smells, and potentially become a health hazard and for families with babies, the elderly, or people with disabilities, the sheer volume of waste generated weekly is not something that can be left uncollected without serious consequence.'
The municipality has a population of more than 46,000 residents.
A council has come under fire over plans to cut back on its general waste collection schedule and empty the bins once a fortnight instead of every week
Ms Azevedo urged the council to stick with FOGO bins while keeping residents in mind.
'We propose maintaining the current weekly collection schedule for landfill bins alongside the organics collection,' she said.
'This will ensure that no community member is left at a disadvantage and help the council fulfil its duty of care.'
Wellington Shire Council Mayor Cindy Madeley said the new rollout would bring many environmental benefits while complying with Victorian Government legislation.
'In Wellington Shire, more than half of the average household landfill bin is made up of food and garden waste, and a further 15 per cent is items that belong in the recycling bin,' she said.
'That's why it's so important each household sorts their waste efficiently to get the best use out of their bins.
'By separating these materials, we can significantly reduce landfill, cut greenhouse gas emissions and turn everyday food scraps into valuable compost that can be used on farms, parks and gardens.'
She also said landfill waste was expensive, with costs increasing annually under the Environmental Protection Agency.
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FOGO bins will be collected once a week, however red-lid bins will be collected once every fortnight, alternating weeks with the recycling bins
'Over time, it will be more expensive to continue weekly collection of landfill bins,' Ms Madeley said.
'By removing food waste from the landfill bin, we can also extend the life of our existing landfill cells and reduce methane emissions.'
Items accepted in FOGO bins include food scraps, garden cuttings, meat, bones, seafood, citrus and dairy products - all of which are uncompostable at home.
The rubbish will be taken to a specialist facility and turned into high–quality soil conditioner.
Shifting to the FOGO system is an initiative under the Victorian Government's Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021.
Daily Mail has contacted Wellington Shire Council for comment.