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Launceston residents with kerbside green bins have been urged to stop disposing of fruit and vegetables in the bins, in the wake of the fruit fly crisis.
City of Launceston council issued the plea on Thursday afternoon.
While Launceston is outside Biosecurity Tasmania’s fruit fly control area, the council has enacted the measure as a precaution.
Residents with the bins are asked to dispose of any unwanted fruit and vegetables by double-wrapping them in plastic bags, disposing them in regular kerbside rubbish bins.
The community is urged to not compost or dump unwanted fruit and vegetables.
All material collected by the council through the food and garden organics kerbside service throughout the past two weeks will be diverted to landfill.
Council Infrastructure Services director Shane Eberhardt said he hoped green bin users would understand the need for such measures.
"It's clear the state is grappling with a serious biosecurity threat, and we feel it's appropriate that we do what we can to assist,” he said.