A city-wide crackdown on residents who leave wheelie bins out on pavements could see some of the worst offenders branded criminals.
Dundee City Council looks likely to be granted new powers to target householders who refuse to remove them from streets.
Under those powers, residents could face escalating penalties, beginning with warning letters and progressing to formal enforcement notices and finally reporting to the procurator fiscal.
For the first time, repeat offenders could then be fined for their negligence.
The financial hit could be around £60 roughly the equivalent of a littering fine though the level is yet to be set.
The crackdown will focus on areas where there is a high density of tenements but could also be a major factor in areas with a large number of houses in multiple occupancy (HMOs).
In both the city centre and west end, pavements have become a battleground in recent years.
Renters, students in particular, have borne the brunt of the blame for the cluttering of streets with wheelie bins.
The other major issue the new powers aim to address is that of fire-raising, with the bins an easy target for vandals.
Environment committee convener Craig Melville said it was “a shame” such steps would have to be taken but believes they could help to keep communities desirable.
The new powers come after an update to the Environment Protection Act 1990, which gave householders the responsibility to put their bins out for collection.
Now, councils will also be able to require owners bring the bins back in.
The extension of legal powers will be discussed by the environment committee on Monday.
Mr Melville said: “If people can put their wheelie bins out, then they should be able to take them back in. I know that the vast majority of people across the city take their bins in and out on time and I would like to thank them for this.
“I would like to warn those who don’t bother that we will be ready to take more action very soon.
“An increasing number of city residents are complaining about the unsightly nature of bins and of the impact they have upon safety, whether as a fire-raising risk or because of the visual impairment they cause to pedestrians and motorists. It is a shame that we will probably have to use these powers quite often, but while some may think this is an example of the ‘nanny state’ I do think that generally people will be supportive.”