Late Items Agenda of Council Meeting

Council Meeting 21 April 2015

4 Notices of Motion/Notices of Rescission

4.1 Waste Collection Service by Cr Whitton

TRIM REFERENCE: 2015/1056

I, CR Jeff Whitton wish to move the following Notice of Motion at the Council Meeting of 21 April 2015:

Motion

That Orange City Council reject all plans to implement a fortnightly red bin collection, therefore leaving the existing weekly red bin collection service in place.

Signed Cr Jeff Whitton

STAFF COMMENT - DIRECTOR TECHNICAL SERVICES

Council resolved the following on 3 February 2015:

6.1 NetWaste Waste Services Tender

TRIM Reference: 2014/1783

RESOLVED - 15/001 Cr R Kidd/Cr C Gryllis

1 That authority be given to the General Manager to conclude the discussions and clarifications required for a contract for Waste Services in accordance with the details outlined in the NetWaste Waste Services Tender report by the Manager Waste Services and Technical Support, to include an option for Council to change to a weekly waste collection service within the first 12 months.

2 That approval be granted for the Council seal to be affixed to relevant documents.

As Council is aware, the 2015/2019 Delivery/Operational Plan is currently on exhibition and as at 20 April 2015 there have been 83 comments made specifically from the general public outlining issues associated with waste management. Of these around 65 per cent have raised concerns with the potential provision of a fortnightly red bin waste collection service. Around 25 per cent support the changes. There are 16,188 residential waste service customers.

As detailed in the February report to Council the cost of the existing service to residents in the current year (including two bulky waste pickups) is $346.54. The proposed service of fortnightly red bin, fortnightly yellow and weekly green is $368.92 (no bulky good pick up). If Council were to maintain the current bin pick up of weekly green, weekly red and fortnightly yellow and maintain one bulky goods pick up the cost per service would be $398.92 or $391.92 excluding a bulky goods pick up. Across the entire service the difference between the proposed $368.92 option and the $398.92 option is $485,640.

A waste audit undertaken in March 2015 indicated that more than 60% of the service base presents red waste bins with less than half full. 19% of bins presented were full, however these residents’ bins were heavily contaminated with recyclable and organic product which means that if this waste was properly disposed of within the respective bins, there would be adequate capacity left in the waste bin to warrant servicing once a fortnight. It is also noted that of this group of full red bins, 80 per cent did not use the green bin. The audit found that across all red bins more than 50% of the material was either organic or recyclable.

This audit reveals that there is still some way to go through education to improve the level of waste separation at the household level, and allowance for ongoing education to improve the level of usage of the organic green lidded bin has been included in the next 10 year waste collection contract, with a particular focus on the next 12 months prior to the new contract commencing.

Other Councils have adopted this industry better practice and it is regarded as a critical incentive to encourage proper and enhanced waste diversion from landfill given the existing adequate service frequency of weekly food and garden organic bins and fortnightly servicing of recycling bins.

Odorous putrescible waste (primarily food waste) can be captured within the weekly service regime of the green lidded bin. It is, however acknowledged that concerns exist, particularly amongst families where there is a significant use of disposable nappies, that these will create an issue with odour if only collected once every fortnight in the red bin as currently proposed. The education program will focus on alternative measures that will manage odour generation ie double bagging nappies or utilisation of deodorisers to minimise this impact.

Alternative option

However for a small population within the Orange community that believe they cannot possibly utilise a fortnightly waste collection service, Council, with its contractor J R Richards, have held initial discussions on developing a customised waste service which could be implemented to meet these very specific needs. This additional service, which would only be made available to a select portion of the community based on their specific needs, could involve having access to an additional red bin pick up service under specific circumstances on the alternative week to their normal fortnightly red bin pick-up, thus effectively providing them with a weekly service. Access to this additional service would need to be carefully managed to ensure it was only made available to those in genuine need, and to ensure the contractor could deliver this service in a cost effective manner by having a clear understanding of how many additional red bin pick-ups they needed to undertake, and their capability to undertake this additional pick-up in addition to the normal pick-up schedule. JR Richards’ staff have indicated their support for tailor making appropriate services in consultation with those identified affected residents and, in order to fully understand how this additional service can be effectively delivered, have requested more time to work up this option and have it incorporated in the current waste service contract. They have indicated that this information could be provided prior to Council making its final decision on this matter through the adoption of the 2015/19 Delivery/Operational Plan. A cost estimate of this service for those wishing to use it will, also be available at this time.

Council’s resolution of 3 February 2015 recognised the importance of commencing the new contract in 2016 on the basis of a fortnightly waste collection trialled for a 12 month period whereby community participation can be monitored and further education undertaken to ensure the community achieves enhanced resource recovery at the most affordable rate. Council’s provision of state of the art facilities and waste diversion objectives can only be maintained at the highest levels if the community is encouraged to divert their waste streams in the bins provided at the service frequency recommended. The above alternative option allows Council to maintain its position as one of the leading waste managers in regional NSW whilst also recognising the particular waste management needs of a small part of the community, and providing a specific solution to effectively manage these needs as well.

Another important consideration of Council is the potential imposition of a waste levy from the State Government similar to that imposed upon the metropolitan and extended regulated areas of NSW. For every tonne of waste disposed to landfill, the community will be required to pay a levy to the State Government which will be returned to State Revenue and in all likelihood will commence at $10 per tonne and increase by $10 per tonne plus GST per annum until it reaches parity with the other regulated areas of NSW which is $67 per tonne. Orange City Council has positioned itself at the most optimum position available by proposing a fortnightly waste collection service and thereby maximising diversion of 60% of its domestic waste stream to the weekly organics collection service and to do this at the commencement of a new 10 year service contract is the responsible thing to do given the financial and environmental advantages afforded by the fortnightly waste collection service.