Sydneysiders could soon require a permit to leave their bins out on the kerb as part of a crackdown against bad waste behaviour.

City of Sydney Councillor Adam Worling proposed a motion at the council meeting on Monday after observing numerous bins left on the footpath and street well after collection day.

He pointed out that these bins caused unpleasant smells, posed risks for both drivers and pedestrians—particularly those with mobility challenges—and attracted pests.

This situation also encouraged people to add more trash improperly, could lead to waste in the wrong bin, and caused littering when bins were tipped over.

Worling’s motion suggested a permit system for bins, which would only allow residents without any space to store their bins to keep theirs out.

“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 said.

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

Worling proposed new labels for all bins, specifying whether the resident had permission to leave it out and what address the bin belonged to. 

“If we want people and we want the community to do the right thing, we just have to give them the guidelines to it. It’s that simple,” he said.

Worling’s motion was unanimously passed at the meeting on Monday.

The council will now investigate a programmed response to deal with the issue, noting his suggestions. 

The move is part of the city’s broader plan to tackle waste-based issues, including the correct disposal of waste and creating a solution to saturated landfills.

Harold Scruby, chief executive of the Pedestrian Council of Australia, said the bins were “very dangerous” to both pedestrians and motorists.

“It’s a very difficult problem,” he said.

“I see it as a problem, but for a council that’s done nothing about every food delivery rider that rides on the footpath, which is much more dangerous, I don’t expect they’re going to do anything.”