Fears abuse could end collection

IAN Ebert is worried that residents' abuse of the bulky goods collection system will result in Coffs Harbour City Council abandoning the system.

IAN Ebert is worried that residents' abuse of the bulky goods collection system will result in Coffs Harbour City Council abandoning the system.

“It's a pretty useful service,” Mr Ebert said.

“But if it continues to be abused like it is at the moment the council is likely to throw up its hands and say they are not going to do it anymore.”

Mr Ebert pointed to the mini-mountains of rubbish in MacKay's Rd, which council workers began tackling yesterday, to reinforce his remarks.

As well as mattresses, lounges, large televisions sets and other household goods, the mounds contained vegetable oil and insecticide drums, some with contents still in them, tyres, a Portaloo, a bucket of rotting prawns and large quantities of personal and business papers, including pay slips, ABN numbers and other detailed information.

The addresses on the papers ranged as far afield as Boambee, Sawtell, Toormina and Coffs Harbour Jetty and included business firms as well as private individuals.

Nearby were three empty yellow recycling bins, indicating that the recyclable paper probably did not originate from houses close by.

While Mackays Rd was due for its bulky goods collection last week, clean-up crews arrived yesterday.

Mr Ebert said council crews had cleaned up a similar pile in the same street about a month ago, leading him to wonder if this relatively secluded area is attracting dumpers.

Like others, he is also concerned about residents putting out rubbish far ahead of collection days and putting out items which should be put in the regular bins, like food and paper or taken to the tip separately, like whole kitchens.

He said in some streets, sections of the grass verge had died because it had been under waste collection piles for so long.

Other residents yesterday said renters often did not know the collection dates; some residents had not received the annual waste collection calendars or had lost them; unit blocks generated big piles of bulky waste and they had not thought of checking the collection dates on the Coffs Harbour City Council website.

A big problem continues to be copycat stockpiling, with residents in streets not due for collections until next week already showing brimming footpaths, although the bulky goods should be put out only the weekend before the collection date.

Coffs Harbour City Council can prosecute residents who leave waste out for long periods or put out hazardous waste, food waste or other unsuitable material.

Recyclables, organic waste and normal household garbage should be put in the regular collection bins.

A spokesman for Coffs Coast Waste Services said a range of recommended bulky goods collection dates was provided to Coffs Harbour City Council and had to be approved by the council before being advertised.

School holidays are excluded from the collection calendar.

Information on bulky goods collection dates for different areas of the city and other waste collection information is available from Coffs Coast Waste Services, free call 1800-265 495 or www.coffcoastwaste.com.au or via the Coffs Harbour City Council website's home page.

There is continuing resentment over charges for green waste taken to the Englands Road waste facility to be turned into mulch.

Although the council issues ratepayers with tickets for two free loads of green waste each year, each load is limited to 200kg. Above this amount, a charge is levied.

Originally published as Fears abuse could end collection