Free bin collections to cease

Published on 22 June 2020

Households putting out multiple bins for collection without paying for the service are costing the city a minimum $200,000 a year according a recent audit.

Council recently undertook an audit of kerbside bin collections as part its ongoing service review program, which aims to improve Council services and their efficiency.

The findings identified 97 per cent of households that put multiple bins out for collection do not pay for the extra service.

Council's Waste and Sustainability Manager, Kathy Graham, said the audit process had been eye opening.

"We discovered around 600 households putting out multiple bins without paying for them, but there would be many more out there that weren’t identified," she said.

"We already understood the extra work that was being created through extra trips back to the tip, landfill works, and lost time, but to see the actual dollar figure was really staggering.

"Council understands times are tough for everyone but that's around $200,000 worth of services that are being covered by other ratepayers - money that could be used elsewhere.

"That money could create extra jobs, help us improve the city's waste service, or be injected back into the community in any number of ways.

“Waste campaigns such as the bin audit hopefully encourage people to think about the type and amount of waste that is being sent to landfill. It is a good opportunity to rethink how we can all reduce, reuse and recycle different materials.”

Ms Graham said pick-ups of multiple bins that weren't paid for would completely cease as of June 29.

"I know some people are of the opinion that Council should just keep collecting these extra bins for free, but it's not sustainable for us to continue doing work that isn't being paid for, nor is it fair to expect the cost to be picked up by other ratepayers," she said. 

"We don't have the resources in the waste department, and Council simply isn't in a financial position to keep doing it.

"And at the end of the day it's the paying ratepayers who are missing out because there's $200,000 not being spent elsewhere in our community."

Those wishing to pay for an extra waste pick up service should contact Council's front office on 8080 3300.