A local dad has finally reached parity with his family’s recycle bin after juggling excess waste ever since Christmas last year. Watsonia’s very own Darryn Lemmens hit the satisfying milestone earlier this week, after what he described as the “peak season for recyclable waste” in his busy household.

Speaking exclusively to The Watsonia Bugle about his brave struggle, Lemmens said, “Mate, it got pretty rough at times. I mean, one fortnight I had to set up an overflow bin for the last couple of days before the collection. So, I was in the red a few times, and that’s no way to live. I reckon I got into the bin to jump up and down on it about two or three times a week when it was at its worst. That was unpleasant to say the least.”

While Lemmens conceded that part of the problem was due to forgetting to arrange having the bins put out while the family was on summer holiday over New Years, he also blamed the perfect storm of increased alcohol consumption and plastic packaging on the toys his children received for Christmas. He said, “It’s a bloody nightmare. From the start of December, you just start drinking heaps more piss than usual, not to mention the whole family coming over for lunch on Chrissie Day. Then the kids get a whole bunch of toys that just have the most ridiculous amount of packaging for what they are. And just when you think you’re out of the woods again, the long weekend comes around and you’re back to boozing like a mad man.”

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