Mildura Council three bin system makes general rubbish fortnightly
Mildura Rural City Council caused a stink by changing general rubbish to fortnightly collection. Three months into the change, the verdict is in.
Mildura
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The numbers are in on a controversial policy to make general rubbish collection fortnightly instead of weekly in the Mildura municipality.
Mildura Rural City Council says after three months of operation, 72 per cent of kerbside waste is now avoiding landfill.
The new weekly green bin, for organic waste, has also shot to the No. 1 slot as the most popular kerbside bin, making up 48 per cent of collected waste.
Previously, the council had picked up red general rubbish bins weekly and yellow recycling bins fortnightly.
Since July, only the organic bin has been weekly – the other bins are picked up on alternative weeks.
Some residents were furious about the change, including parents disposing of nappies worried about the accumulated smell over two weeks.
In a recent poll on The Mildura News’ Facebook page, 64 per cent were unhappy with the new system, with 36 per cent in favour.
But the new council data suggests some habits changed.
From July to September, 2737 tonnes went into the new organic bins, nearly half of the total kerbside pick-up.
Waste in the landfill bins nearly halved from the same period a year earlier, with 1617 tonnes or 28 per cent of the total.
The remaining 1350 tonnes, or 24 per cent, was from the yellow recycling bins.
Despite no change in the yellow bin schedule, recycling actually increased 19 per cent year-on-year.
A Victorian Government website promoting the shift towards an eventual four-bin system, including glass recycling bins, said it was expected councils would stick with weekly general waste collection.
“Councils will determine the frequency of collection in their own communities,” the website said.
“However, we expect that councils will maintain the regularity of their services – including general waste on a weekly basis – in line with the needs of their communities.”
Mildura’s green bins accept food scraps and garden waste, but also newspapers, paper towels and tissues.
In a statement, Mildura Rural City Council said ratepayers would be on the hook if red bins were made weekly again.
It said Victorian Government rural landfill levies were set to almost double in the next two years, which means residents would pay more through their waste management fee.
“The cost of sending waste to landfill (including the 30 years of managing this waste through compliance activities) is much greater than collecting and processing organics,” the statement said.
Additional paid red bins can also be made available for those with medical needs, households with seven or more permanent residents or households with two or more permanent residents in nappies.
Residents and families experiencing difficulty with the new system are also able to contact a Waste Education and Project Officer to work through their individual needs.
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