The Town of Kwinana has unfortunately had to push back the date of the annual bulk-waste verge collection to later in the financial year. We understand the impact this may be having on some residents and we would like to provide further information on the matter.
We sincerely apologise for the miscommunication and we understand that many residents do expect the collection to occur at the end of each year. We would like to reassure residents however, that we are still providing a bulk waste collection this 2011/12 financial year.
View the correct bulk waste collection dates for the 2011/12 financial year.
Below is a set of questions we have been receiving recently and our responses:
Why has the service been moved from September 2011 to March/April 2012
Following a massive increase (almost 30%) in bulk-waste output by residents in 2010 the Town undertook a review of the service to ensure it could continue sustainably into the future. As a result of this detailed review we were required to push back the date of the next bulk-waste collection in order to accommodate the schedule of the contractor.
If there was such an increase in 2010/11 why are you waiting even longer before the next bulk waste collection? What about all the extra waste we might accumulate in the extra time?
The quantity of waste put out for bulk verge collection does not always grow each year and depends on many factors including environmental conditions during the collection weeks. The Town has allowed the contractor two weeks to collect waste if there is more waste put out for collection.
The most effective method of waste disposal is not creating the waste in the first place.
While we understand residents may find themselves having to hold onto some of their bulk waste for a longer period of time, we encourage everyone to help Kwinana contribute to the State Government target of zero waste to landfill by 2020. Depending on the type of waste there may be other methods of disposal if you need to dispose of it earlier.
Please refer to the 2010/2011Resources Recovery Calendar for disposal options.
Where possible, residents should look to lessen the waste they produce, purchase products with limited packaging and recycle as much as they can.
Are we still receiving the same amount of collections?
Yes, waste collections are based on the financial year. In 2010/11 the Town offered four green waste collections and one bulk waste collection. In the current 2011/12 financial year, the Town will again offer four green waste collections and one bulk waste collection. The bulk waste collection is just in a different month.
Why not reduce the amount of green waste collections and offer more bulk waste collections?
This is a strategy which has been extensively investigated, to the point where a full report outlining the environmental, financial and operational viability of such a move was undertaken in 2010/11. The result of this investigation was that the green waste collections were used effectively by the majority of the community and any reduction in green waste collections would result in less ability for residents to ensure their homes were free of dangerous foliage and shrubbery.
Some suburbs certainly make use of green waste collections more than others and the argument has also been raised as to why we don’t run different services for different suburbs. The answer to this lies in the cost, both through contractors and internal operations, that would come with having to coordinate such a complex collection service.
Furthermore, all of the green waste collected from the verge services is made into made into compost and zero green waste goes to landfill. The cost of disposal of green waste to landfill is 3 times more expensive and this will increase significantly if carbon Tax is introduced in 2012.
The Town uses the more environmentally acceptable option of sending green waste for processing into compost saving the community more than $85,000 per year when compared to landfill disposal.
How much would it cost to simply add an additional bulk waste collection?
The bulk waste collection and disposal service costs based on 1119 tonnes collected in October 2010 was a total of $257,425.
If we were to offer an additional service we would need to fund it from rubbish charges, which would mean an additional $21.45 per household (based on 12,000 dwellings).
Will the Town of Kwinana ever get its own tip?
A standard landfill tip facility is certainly not an option we are considering and would in fact be a backwards step, both environmentally and financially, for the community. It is contrary to the State Environmental Policy and the waste management policies which require the Town of Kwinana to address the State Government objective of Zero Waste to Landfill by 2020. The Town is however, investigating alternative waste treatment facilities and options in order to recover resources for reuse and to minimise environmental impacts.
Why doesn’t the Town of Kwinana offer tip passes?
The Town would have to issue tip passes for landfill sites outside of Kwinana (such as Rockingham and Cockburn) which we would pay full price for and consequently have to pass on those costs to ratepayers. This would be an unnecessary use of resources, considering ratepayers can go there and simply pay the gate fees at any time of the year.
It is actually quite simple, if a Kwinana resident went to the Rockingham Landfill site today it might cost them around $30, if we were to issue tip passes each year, for each pass we would have to increase rates by an identical $30 because we pay the same price as everyone else. Further, not every person owns a trailer so for a large amount of residents there may be a hire fee involved and those who don’t wish to dump waste would be paying extra for no service.
We much prefer to let the individual person decide if they need to pay for the service, rather than force every household to pay full price.
Can’t you at least offer discounts for Cockburn or Rockingham tips?
Once again, The Town is charged exactly the same for a tip pass at these external landfill sites as a resident is. In the end any discounts offered to Kwinana residents are paid for by the ratepayer.
My recycle bin is always full so I have to put recycle items in my green bin, can I have two recycle bins?
The Town will happily provide an additional recycle bin at an additional cost which will be added to your annual rates notice.
We are also investigating the possibility of a weekly recycling service in the near future.
What do I do then with recyclable items that are too big for my bin, large cardboard boxes, whitegoods etc?
The Millar Road Landfill facility in Rockingham will accept recyclable metals including washing machines, dishwashers, Aluminium cans and Paper, cardboard and resealable furniture free of charge. Contact the facility on 9528 8550.
What does the future hold for waste services in Kwinana?
The cost of waste management is rising and will continue to rise for everyone unless drastic action is taken to reduce waste to landfill.
The Town of Kwinana will aim to educate and support the community in our efforts to become even more sustainable and reduce our ecological footprint.
Community assistance and cooperation will be extremely important to prevent significant rising costs into the future and we will encourage everyone to help prevent, reduce and reuse waste where possible and will make it easier to do so.
The Town will seek an environmentally acceptable solution to achieve Zero Waste to Landfill by 2020 to comply with both Federal and State Government objectives and to reduce the impact of increasing waste levies and future Carbon Tax.
We intend to undergo continuous improvement reviews on our waste service options for the best and most effective outcomes for future waste treatment processing.
Weekly recycling is considered an important option to maximise the separation and recovery of resources for all the community. This is an initiative we will be considering thoroughly in the short term future.
The Town will continue to work with our regional partners, regulators and stakeholders including adjoining councils and the South Metropolitan Regional Council (SMRC) to provide the best service for the community into the future.