New bin scheme could cut costs

The new and improved bin collection service is designed to help the council increase the district’s recycling rate, divert more waste from landfill as well as make its charging system for the service fairer.

“We’re changing the way we collect waste from schools and businesses because we want to provide a better, more efficient and cost-effective service,” said Council Waste and Environmental Manager Barry Patience.

“At present, we only collect black landfill waste bins from businesses and charge a standard set fee for each 240-litre bin collected. All waste collected from these bins ends up in landfill when an estimated 60 per cent or more of it could be recycled at a much lower cost.

“From April, we will be expanding our bin collection service so that schools and businesses will be able to sort their waste for recycling more easily and thus make significant savings in doing so. In addition to keeping the black bin for general non-recyclable waste, existing customers will be provided with a green bin for mixed dry recyclables and a brown bin for food and organic waste.”

All bins will be micro-chipped, enabling the Council to weigh each bin and charge accordingly. Businesses and schools will pay much less per kilogram of recyclable material placed in both the green bin and brown bin compared to the charge per kilogram placed in the black non-recyclable waste bin.

In practice, brown bins will be collected from businesses and schools every week whereas the black bin and green bin will be collected on alternate weeks.

Detailed information about the new changes to the bin collection service will be forwarded to schools and businesses in the coming weeks.

For further information, contact the Council’s Waste and Environmental Manager on 4066 0604.