Noise from Rubbish Pick-up of Cop Shop. Cops Can’t Anything about It

Podroo on 08/11/2022 - 17:14
Last edited 08/11/2022 - 17:37 by 1 other user

We recently moved to a house next to a police station. We have one baby and one toddler.

On every Thursday MORNING around 3.30am. Cleanaway, a commercial rubbish company, come to pick up the cop’s rubbish tip bin. The sound of dropping the bin on the ground wakes up our household every time. We complained to the police station. Even with the guidelines clearly showing on the local council’s website that no rubbish pick-up before 6.30 is allowed. The cops said it is not bylaw and they can’t to anything about it. We complained to council. They were really good and called the trash company. How’s, now, 4 month later, the truck still shows up every Thursday 3.30am.

I am seeking for help! What else can I do to get a basic liveable condition. Besides selling the house.

• 

  highon2str on 08/11/2022 - 17:17

  +3

  Have you tried calling or writing directly to the company with photos or a video?

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  AustriaBargain on 08/11/2022 - 17:21

  -1

  Tell the cops you are fishing buddies with the Speaker of the House and make a point of getting the full name of the person you tell it to.

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  brendanm on 08/11/2022 - 17:28

  +5

  Call the cops every morning to file a noise complaint.

  Park your car in front of the bin Wednesday night.

  Place some yoga mats on the ground under the bin.

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  Drakesy on 08/11/2022 - 17:47

  +9

  File a noise complaint with the council, if they do nothing hound your local member and if they're decent they'll give the officers a kick up their backside.
  But yes, the council has every right to penalise waste companies that go against their noise laws.

  • 

    apsilon on 08/11/2022 - 19:02

    +2

    If council don't do anything you can also go to the EPA.

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  herecomestheoost on 08/11/2022 - 18:34

  :D

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  Seraphin7 on 08/11/2022 - 18:52

  Popo won't do anything about it as (1) it's their bin and they want it emptied, (2) they don't care what time it's emptied, and (3) they wouldn't care anyway.

  Council … maybe … but do they want to disturb the popo?

  Garbage company won't do anything unless directed to by whoever contracts with them.

  • 

    singlemalt72 on 09/11/2022 - 08:52

    You will probably find the building management is not undertaken by the police, but by a government or contracted building management company.

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  Switchblade88 on 08/11/2022 - 18:55

  If the council set the rubbish pickup time, then you complain to the council.

  • 

    Mechz on 08/11/2022 - 21:52

    It's a private company waste management. Not local government.

    • 

      Switchblade88 on 08/11/2022 - 22:41

      +1

      If the private waste management company is not in compliance with local government regulations, then you complain to the local government

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  SmiTTy on 08/11/2022 - 19:47

  I know it shouldn't come to you needing to do this because someone else is on the wrong… But if you can afford it, consider those double glazed windows. They do a great job keeping the noise out but they are expensive

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  bmxr on 08/11/2022 - 21:00

  +3

  Cleanaway would be contracted directly by the Police and not the Council. Does Council's "no collection before 630am" apply to non-residential premises? Council won't be interested if it doesn't.

  You could try the EPA (or whatever the equivalent is in your state) to lodge a noise complaint

  This is from their website in NSW:

  Garbage collection is considered an 'essential' service and as such is not subject to any specific legislated time restrictions.

  If the excessive noise is coming from garbage collections associated with commercial premises you can discuss the issue with the business concerned and let them know you are being affected. If this does not resolve the issue, then you can refer your complaint to the local council to investigate

  You could have a very slim chance given the above to challenge it on "motor vehicle noise" under - "Using a vehicle that emits offensive noise (e.g. trail bike) in a place that is not a road or road-related area". Assuming they are collecting the bin from a private carpark area?

  You could seek a noise abatement order from the local court if you decide to take action independently of the local council or Police, against Cleanaway. That might be the most effective way to get action. Cleanaway may consider that re-routing to pick up at the Police Station at 630am is less of a hassle than to fight any potential action, despite how slim the chances of you winning are.

  In the end, you bought a house next to a non-residential, special use, in a Police Station. I'd say you could probably look at this more positively and be happy it's just the bin collection that you are complaining about and not sirens, vehicular movements at all hours and at speed, general public/detainees entering/leaving the station at all hours, people hurling abuse/projectiles at the station etc..

  • 

    singlemalt72 on 09/11/2022 - 08:55

    Good to see someone who actually gives accurate answers.

    Also I would look into running a white noise generator in the kids rooms on those nights which may help mask the truck noise.

  • 

    Podroo on 10/11/2022 - 00:41

    Thank you for the genuine suggestions. We did file a complain to EPA and EPA officially direct it to local council .The local council law clearly stated the commercial bin pick up time. However, police said those times are not BY LAW. Probably, a lawyer is the best bet.

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  altomic on 09/11/2022 - 02:40

  +2

  bikies

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  Euphemistic on 09/11/2022 - 06:57

  +3

  Yes it’s frustrating that you are woken by this truck and you should not have to put up with it. Complain to council and EPA.

  While you are waiting for that to resolve try not to stress about it. People learn to live next to train lines. If you wake up thinking “ThOsE DaMn BiN TruCKs RuIniNg MY SlEeP” you’re more likely to stay awake. If your thinking moves to “it’s just the bin truck, be gone in 2min” you are less likely to remain awake as long. Thinking more like Darrel Kerrigan from The Castle will relax you. Ie “We are so much safer living next to a cop shop, bins once a week is a small price to pay” or “I’m glad it’s just the bin truck and not a bomb

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  TheGhost on 09/11/2022 - 19:36

  Trust me. Even police don’t want to cross The Garboz

  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wcBpUyAUzVw