Push to reward Adelaide City Council residents with money for reducing rubbish

A local council may give cash back to residents who cut back on their rubbish — weeks after ratepayers in seven councils were told they could face fines for using the wrong bin.

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Residents who reduce the amount of rubbish they throw out would get a rebate under an Adelaide City councillor’s push to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.

Cr Arman Abrahimzadeh will tonight ask the council investigate rewards for people who use bins correctly.

That could include giving residents a one-off rebate for reducing their bin size from 140L to a “smaller volume”.

Council staff said it planned to look at “financial incentives” to reduce household waste as part of a Waste and Recycling Management Strategy.

Cr Abrahimzadeh said it would be a way to encourage responsible and sustainable waste management.

“When we think about bringing in new initiatives we think about the carrot and the stick approach,” Cr Abrahimzadeh said.

“From my perspective, this is a carrot approach where we are offering an incentive for people to really think about their rubbish.”

Last month, The City reported East Waste, which services seven council areas, wants to fine residents and businesses who repeatedly put rubbish in the wrong bin in a bid to improve recycling habits.

That push was backed by anti-litter agency KESAB.

East Waste general manager Rob Gregory said the proposal had been well-received.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor was in favour of a more positive system.

“People respond to different things, but we should also look at how we make it easier and better,” Ms Verschoor said.

“I think (rebates) would be welcomed and I know a lot of people who would be lucky to half-fill their bin

“We have a really good opportunity … to actually make the waste to landfill reduced to almost nothing.”

The State Government unexpectedly increased its solid waste levy — the price per tonne councils are charged to dump waste in landfill — by almost 40 per cent.

The council will vote on whether to support “financial incentives” tonight.

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