Big brother - or in this case the Central Otago District Council - is not watching you from your kerbside bin.

Small white discs, called radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, were discovered under the lip of some bins by members of the public over recent weeks, who shared their concerns online.

Many were worried they were being monitored.

While the RFID tags could in fact do that, the Central Otago District Council (CODC) has chosen not to use the function.

When activated, the tags contain data on the serial number of the bin, which enables the kerbside collection trucks to identify if the bin being collected is located at the property the bin has been assigned to.

This ultimately ensures the ratepayers are getting the bin services they are paying for in their rates.

The RFID tags are placed on the bins by the new manufacturer, regardless of whether they will be activated. PHOTO: The Central App

However, Central Otago District Council infrastructure manager Quinton Penniall said while the bins have been fitted with the RFID tags, they are inactive because the council does not use the function.

“With the change in kerbside collection contractor in July 2023, the manufacturer supplying bins for CODC also changed,” he said.

“The bin manufacturer fit RFID tags to all bins produced, regardless of whether the functions will be used.”

He said all 140L red bins issued during the bin rollout and any red, yellow, blue and green bins delivered by CODC’s new kerbside collection contractor from July 2023, will be fitted with an RFID tag.

“The RFID tag only works when it is close to the kerbside collection truck receiver, however as this function is not being used by CODC and is therefore inactive, there is no data being reported at the time of collection.”