With winds that could blow a dog off a chain, it is one of the many weather traps locals live with on the undulating coastline of the Kiama local government area.

On bin night, it is at times a gamble whether they will be upturned from the wind gusts, which can push above triple figures at times, with rubbish spilling out.

“Kiama Council has been very aware of the windy conditions in the area, and we started trialling bin locks in 2018-19,” said Josephine St John, Waste Services Strategic Coordinator for Kiama Council.

The first trial in 2018 didn’t go to plan.

“We thought we found a solution, but unfortunately the locks didn’t suit our new trucks,” St John said.

“I (later) came across this particular bin lock which is called ‘Secure-A-Lid’ and the council did an extensive trial with quite a few households (because) of the various sizes of red bins.

“The bin lock works by unlatching when the bin is lifted for emptying, using gravity to open the latch.”

With a few hundred households already taking up the bin locks, they are available for purchase, with Council making no profit on the sales. 

“There’s absolutely no profit in it whatsoever, it is purely a subsidised item,” St John said.

At $16 per unit, the ‘Secure-A-Lid’ is provided with a comprehensive manual to install the locks. 

Also provided is a QR code which will lead purchasers to a video demonstration on YouTube. 

Each household can buy up to three units of ‘Secure-A-Lid’ and purchase more if they have extra bins within Kiama’s waste service.

To be eligible for purchase you must show proof of residency (e.g. drivers licence or rates notice).

For more information head to https://www.kiama.nsw.gov.au/Services/Waste-and-recycling/Bin-locks.