Homeowners cleaning up after SA’s spring storms won’t have to pay extra rubbish levy

MANY homeowners across SA are facing a big clean-up after the floods and storms — but they’ve finally had some good news about all that storm debris.

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HOMEOWNERS cleaning up flood and storm-related debris will not be slugged an extra levy to dispose of the rubbish.

There had been concerns that those affected by the severe weather would have to pay an increased solid waste levy when dumping the debris at a rubbish depot.

However, the Environment Protection Authority says residents and small business owners in 18 affected council areas would be exempt from paying the levy.

Local councils will also be eligible to have the levy waived for rubbish declared as “storm/flood affected waste”.

Heavy rains and gale force winds have brought down trees and damaged buildings across the state and caused swollen rivers to flood homes and agricultural land.

If your business has been affected by the recent power outage + extreme weather events, visit https://t.co/5jOoZCfiGB for info. #SAStorms

— DeptStateDevelopment (@StateDevSA) October 7, 2016

EPA strategy and business director Roslyn Agate said organic waste from the storms, such as tree branches, could be dumped as green waste, which would be exempt from the levy.

“The State Government has offered to waive the waste levy to assist communities with the cost of waste disposal,” Ms Agate said.

“This gesture recognises the distress experienced by affected communities.”

The solid waste levy is now charged at $76 per tonne of rubbish, following increases announced in this year’s Budget.

Councils warned in the Sunday Mail in August that they would have to cut services or delay projects to compensate for the levy rise.

Local Government Association president Dave Burgess said disposing of rubbish created as a result of the extreme weather should be exempt from the levy.

Mr Burgess also suggested that some of the about $85 million already collected through the levy be spent to help with the clean-up effort.

A shed destroyed by a fallen tree in Balhannah, during the storms. Picture: Roger Wyman

“The removal and clearance of fallen trees, repair of damaged roads, disposal of storm and flood debris and rehabilitation of the landscape are immediate priorities,” he said.

The LGA has also called on the State Government to broaden the eligibility criteria for assistance grants of up to $700 so that homeowners “facing significant clean-up costs in their own backyards” can use the money to repair driveways, sheds or other outdoor infrastructure.

Currently the grants are only issued to repair a person’s main residential property.

Communities Minister Zoe Bettison said the grants were intended as emergency relief.

“They are not a form compensation,” she said.

“These grants are targeted at people in genuine need, including those that cannot access or inhabit their home due to flooding.”

The state and federal governments has agreed to jointly-fund further disaster recovery assistance grants in 29 local government areas.

Pictures: Wild weather’s wake

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