THE City of Greater Bendigo will introduce a new, compulsory fortnightly organic waste collection service to more than 40,000 households in the urban Bendigo and Marong areas in September.
Households will pay an extra $63 per year on their rates bill, although due to the service not being introduced until September, the actual charge on this year’s rates notice will be less.
There will also be an exemption process for households who can demonstrate they are managing all organic material within their
property.
During debate on Wednesday night over how the service should be provided, Whipstick Ward councillor Peter Cox claimed councillors had been provided with insufficient information to support the recommendation, and that more work needed to be done.
Cr Cox rejected the model put forward in the recommendation that a weekly household garbage service be continued to complement the planned organics collection and the existing recycling collection currently provided.
He said he had been a great supporter of waste and organics collection, but he believed everyone needed to take greater responsibility for their waste.
He described the recommendation for a weekly waste collection to continue as part of the overall waste management strategy as “weak”, and said council had backtracked on its position from as recently as a fortnight ago.
“We are lacking in information,” he said, citing concerns the new service would be introduced during caretaker mode and at a time when he will be prohibited from providing information to residents due to the rules that apply during this period.
Other councillors cited concerns raised by residents involved in the trial about odour, and how they believed a weekly garbage collection would help manage this issue, especially for families with young children.
“You can’t put nappies in the freezer while you’re waiting for the next fortnightly bin collection,” Cr Helen Leach said in her support of maintaining a weekly household garbage service.
A strong campaign by residents in support of a local company currently providing a green collection service, Greenaway Bins, was also raised during an at times heated discussion, with Cr Elise Chapman moving an additional motion to ensure any future tender process was completely open and transparent.
Cr Fyffe said council reached its decision after analysing feedback received from the 2700 households in parts of Kennington, Strathdale, East Bendigo, White Hills and North Bendigo who took part in a fortnightly waste and organics collection services.
“We were pleased that 45 per cent of participants completed a comprehensive survey about their experiences during the trial. A further survey was also sent to trial participants to gain an insight into the participant’s views on what combination of frequency and cost of service best meets their household’s needs,” he said.
Lockwood Ward councillor Barry Lyons said the changes were “the biggest and boldest” to waste collection that had taken place during his time on council.
Community campaigner and Greenaway Bins supporter, Andrea Metcalf yesterday voiced her concerns over the service approved by councillors.
“How bad is the recommendation when the councillor who is most passionate about reducing landfill has stood up and said he could not support the recommendation? Peter Cox was looking for more data to determine if just removing the green waste will achieve the same result as removing green organics and believes that Council can reduce its carbon footprint by using local businesses. That opportunity is now gone,” she said.
Cr Fyffe said kerbside bin audits showed more than half of household waste was food and garden waste which could be composted and reused.
The new organic waste collection service is expected to divert more than 12,000 tonnes of organic waste away from landfill, and turn it into reusable compost each year.
He said organic waste in the city’s landfill creates more methane and other greenhouse gases than all of the other measured activities of council put together.
The council will undertake a community education campaign in the lead up to and following the commencement of the new organic service in September.
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