Brisbane City Council has dismissed a petition calling for it to ensure garbage collection trucks do not start their morning runs before 5:30am in the suburbs.
Twenty people signed a petition to the council asking that it "hold SUEZ Waste Management accountable for collecting waste bins before 5:30am".
The petitioners said truck noise and headlight glare from the council's waste collection service disrupted "community amenity" and meant some residents missed out on the service because their bins were not kerbside early enough.
BCC's website states that rubbish collection happens on weekdays between 5:30am to 5:30pm but the petition argued early collections were "affecting the liveability of our suburbs".
The council said although its Waste and Resource Recovery Services branch had received "a number of requests for later waste collection times due to concerns with residents being woken early in the morning", waste collection was an essential service and there were no "legislated times garbage trucks were required to operate within".
"In past instances of early collection complaints prior to 5:30am, full council investigations found that SUEZ trucks consistently have dashcam recordings of bin collections commencing at 5:30am," a council spokesperson said
BCC said residents were encouraged to put their bins out for collection the night before scheduled services to prevent missed collections "should operational needs change the timing of services on collection day".
"To minimise traffic congestion and to maintain a consistent day of service for household catchments, early start times are necessary before roads are busy," a council spokesperson said.
Majority happy with service
When ABC Brisbane asked residents what they thought of the petition, an overwhelming majority sided with council, saying bins could be put out the night before and early collection reduced traffic congestion.
Dave Dawson said: "The logistics of them getting all streets done every week, in limited time, would be a nightmare. Put your bins out the night before."
But Belinda Spina said if residents were not permitted to make excessive noise before 7am, "why would garbage trucks be any different?"
"They tear around our streets making an awful racket," she said.
"Especially on double bin days! I would suggest 6:30am as the earliest time they should get on the road."
Glen Fernandes agreed 5:30am was "too early to wake everyone up".
"For some it's a non-issue but others might prefer such activities past 6am," he said.
