Toowoomba Regional Council votes to create new Bowenville waste transfer facility after complaints

A community just west of Toowoomba will get a new waste management facility after residents repeatedly complained about overflowing skips since the council closed its landfill.

Overflowing skips at Bowenville, west of Toowoomba.

Residents in a small community west of Toowoomba will get a new waste facility from the council, to replace its haphazard current situation involving overflowing rented skips.

Councillors voted at the committee meeting yesterday to approve a new secure waste station at Bowenville along the Warrego Highway.

It will be a welcome relief for residents who had repeatedly complained about the present arrangement, where the Toowoomba Regional Council would rent two skip bins located at a rest stop along the highway.

The compromise was created several years ago after the council closed the Bowenville landfill in 2012 to reduce costs.

Waste services manager Matt Torr said the skips were regularly being overfilled, much to the dismay of residents.

“The skip bins were fitted with standard kerbside lids to prevent large items being deposited and signage was installed to advise that the skip bins are for domestic waste only,” he said in his report.

“Despite this the site has had ongoing problems with overflowing waste and large items being placed beside the skip bins.

“The current situation of overflowing skip bins and large items being dumped create not only an environmental and amenity issue, but also results in costs for council staff in undertaking clean-ups and dealing with complaints received.”

The new $350,000 waste management facility, which would be at the site of the old landfill, would include two 15m skip bins for general waste, four bins for recycling, two bins for cardboard, a scrap metal bin, secure fencing, CCTV and an automatic gate that opens between 7am and 5pm each day.

Water and waste portfolio leader Cr Nancy Sommerfield said the new proposal would have both financial and environmental benefits.

“The site of the old landfill is currently unused and requires rehabilitation,” she said.

“Development of the tier six facility would involve some of the work required for permanent rehabilitation.

“The costs of servicing the new facility would be offset by a saving in the current skip bin rental and servicing.”