FAQs

The City can generally distinguish between a well-sorted bin and isolated contamination that may have been placed in a bin shortly before collection. For this reason, residents are encouraged to place their bins out as close as practical to the 6am collection time. 

The City's focus is on ongoing or significant contamination issues rather than one-off incidents. If you believe someone has unauthorisedly used your bin, you can report it to the City. Where contamination has occurred, we may be able to arrange for the contaminated material to be removed and disposed of as general waste.

The City will assess each situation and consider all available evidence. Our focus is on addressing ongoing contamination issues through education and engagement, rather than penalising isolated incidents.

The standard three-bin service is considered best practice and, when used correctly, provides sufficient capacity for most households. However, additional bin capacity options are available for households that require more waste disposal capacity than is provided through the standard service (additional fees apply).

The Waste Local Law provides a mechanism to address resident complaints about people accessing bins placed on the verge. Under the Local Law, waste must not be removed from a receptacle without the approval of the local government or an authorised person. Any concerns or complaints would be assessed on a case-by-case basis, with enforcement action only considered following investigation of the circumstances.

The City will take a practical, common-sense approach and consider individual circumstances before taking any compliance action.

The City will takes an education-first approach to reducing contamination and will work with residents to improve their waste sorting before considering any compliance action. Infringements are a last resort and are intended only for ongoing or significant contamination issues, not occasional mistakes. The focus is on helping residents understand the correct use of each bin through education and support.

The Waste Local Law was developed using the template and content supplied by the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA). This template is used by many local government's across the metropolitan area.

Currently the City of Fremantle Health Local Laws 1997 contains overlapping related Waste Laws which will be repealed when the Waste Local Law 2026 is adopted and gazetted.

The Waste Local Law sets out the rules for how waste services operate within the City of Fremantle.
This includes requirements for:

• Use and placement of waste, recycling and organic bins
• Waste collection schedules and verge collections
• Storage and presentation of bins
• Responsibilities of owners and occupiers to manage waste properly
• Operation of waste facilities
• Fees and charges for waste services
• Enforcement of waste-related offences such as illegal dumping or misuse of bins

These rules help ensure waste services are safe, fair and consistent for everyone in the community.

For most residents, waste services will stay the same.
The Local Law mainly formalises existing practices so the City can clearly manage waste services and respond to issues when they arise.

The law does not introduce new waste services. Any future changes to collection services would normally be consulted on separately.

The City's first response will be education. Fines may be used as a last resort.

New Local Laws:

At a council meeting the person presiding is to give notice to the meeting of the purpose and effect of the proposed local law in the prescribed manner. 

The local government is to —

1. give local public notice stating that —

1. the local government proposes to make a local law the purpose and effect of which is summarised in the notice; and
2. a copy of the proposed local law may be inspected or obtained at any place specified in the notice; and
3. submissions about the proposed local law may be made to the local government before a day to be specified in the notice, being a day that is not less than 6 weeks after the notice is given (3 weeks if it is a model local law); and

2. as soon as the notice is given, give a copy of the proposed local law and a copy of the notice to —

1. the Departmental CEO; and
2. if a department of the Public Service other than the Department assists in the administration of an Act under which the local law is proposed to be made — the chief executive officer of that other department; and

3. provide a copy of the proposed local law, in accordance with the notice, to any person requesting it. 

After the last day for submissions under subsection, the local government is to consider any submissions made and may make the local law as proposed or make a local law that is not significantly different from what was proposed. 

After making a local law, the local government must —

1. publish the local law in the Gazette; and
2. give a copy of the local law to —

1. the Departmental CEO; and
2. if a department of the Public Service other than the Department assists in the administration of an Act under which the local law is made — the chief executive officer of that other department. 

After the local law has been published in the Gazette the local government is to give notice in the required way —

1. stating the title of the local law; and
2. summarising the purpose and effect of the local law (specifying the day on which it comes into operation); and
3. advising that the local law is published on the local government’s official website and that copies of the local law may be inspected at or obtained from the local government’s office.

If during the procedure for making a proposed local law the local government decides to make a local law that would be significantly different from what it first proposed, the local government is to recommence the procedure. 

Unless it is made under section 3.17, a local law comes into operation on the 14th day after the day on which it is published in the Gazette or on such later day as may be specified in the local law. 

The City recognises the challenges of shared bin systems and will work with strata managers, Councils of Owners and residents to improve waste sorting practices through education and practical solutions.

The City's compliance procedures are managed separately from the Waste Local Law. The City will follow an education-first approach, working with residents to resolve issues before considering verbal warnings, written warnings or infringements. Fines are a last resort.