On-demand bulk waste solution on the verge of reality

The City of Fremantle’s new pre-booked bulk waste collection service is one step closer to being rolled out, with Verge Valet™ named as the City’s preferred provider.

The City will now seek to finalise a contract with the Western Metropolitan Regional Council (WMRC), which runs the Verge Valet™ service.

Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said the City is ready to adopt the new model.

“This new, tailored approach to the collection of unwanted items will offer more flexibility to residents, reduce landfill and help keep our streets tidier,” Mayor Fitzhardinge said.

From September, residents will be able to pre-book their bulk verge collections for year-round convenience, instead of having to wait for the annual collection window.  Bulk verge collections under the new service model will commence in October.

Once residents book, they can put their bulky items out on their chosen date to be collected within three days, instead of an average of 14 days under the previous model.

The Finance, Policy, Operations and Legislation Committee was satisfied that WMRC met all the requirements of the tender process and expect them to deliver a high standard of service.

The Committee recommended a contract of up to five years, with a review after one year.

The contract is worth $2 million over five years, the cost of which has been factored in as part of the annual budget process.

The new model will cater for all Fremantle households, including apartments and inner-city residents, who were previously unable to participate in bulk rubbish collections.

The Verge Valet™ service is designed for items that have reached their end of life.

“Additionally, we have recently increased the number of free entry passes to the Fremantle Recycling Centre from four deliveries of bulk waste per year, to six per year,” Mayor Fitzhardinge said.

In recent years, pre-booked waste collections have been adopted by other local governments, including the City of Vincent, Town of Cottesloe and Town of Cambridge.

“The feedback from their residents about the on-demand service has been overwhelmingly positive,” Mayor Fitzhardinge said.

More information will be shared soon about how to book the Verge Valet™ service.  In the meantime, visit fremantle.wa.gov.au/pre-booked-bulk-waste-collections for more info.