The City of Cockburn has reported a surprising outcome from reducing the number of bins along its coastline: less litter. Two years ago, up to 40 bins were placed along the coast during summer, but that number has now been cut to just 13 between the Omeo Wreck in North Coogee and Ammo Jetty at Woodman Point.
Initial reduction due to access issues
The reduction initially occurred because of beach buggy access problems and erosion. Despite the significant decrease, city officers have observed a reduction in general litter and more thoughtful waste disposal from visitors.
City of Cockburn community waste education officer Laura Hutchinson told PerthNow that new bin stickers displaying photos of rubbish left behind at Coogee Beach have also had an impact. She said there was less litter being observed on a “normal day” compared to summer last year.
Rewarding responsible behaviour
Ms Hutchinson has been carrying “prizes” such as reusable calico bags and coffee cups to reward individuals who she sees picking up rubbish regularly. Between November 2025 and April 2026, more than 4,000 tonnes of rubbish was collected from Cockburn’s beach bins, with the bins emptied more than 70 times.
Ms Hutchinson said this had increased from the previous year, but it was likely due to an increase in beachgoers and several popular events hosted in the area. “Outside of these events, there has been an observed reduction in waste collected on a day-to-day basis, likely a result of there being fewer bins available,” she said.
Strategic bin placement
“The amount of waste in the remaining bins continues to be recorded to ensure they are serviced appropriately (considering peak times) and to reduce risk of overflow.” Despite some locals questioning the bin reduction, Ms Hutchinson said the new educational approach with the bin stickers and strategic locations of the bins were encouraging people to take more responsibility over their rubbish disposal.
Ms Hutchinson also removed more than 230kg of litter herself this summer, and has recovered a total of more than 700kg of recyclable containers for Containers for Change over the past two years. She said the money from the containers was donated to local charities.
