Changes to Waste Collection

Waste management around Australia is changing, environmental and workplace safety standards are increasing as well as community expectations around recycling and waste operations. Waste management on the West Coast cannot continue with business as usual. Current practices do not meet our environmental obligations, our obligations to provide a safe workplace, or the expectations of the community. If we continue down the current path, the cost of waste management to ratepayers will increase dramatically.

Council has adopted a Waste Management Strategy that aims to address safety and environmental concerns and keep the cost of waste collection sustainable for our community.

To achieve this, we will need to make the following changes:

• Waste Transfer Stations will be gated and locked, each transfer station will have set opening times. All transfer stations will be closed on Sundays and on the day of curbside collection for their relevant town. Full details of opening times are attached. This will commence in February 2020.
• Waste Transfer Stations will accept only limited categories of waste: domestic waste, oil, and green waste (on a trial basis). Items such as; Asbestos, Tires, Car Bodies, Concrete, Rock Rubble and Soil will not be accepted at the Transfer Stations, only at the Landfill.
• Commercial waste will only be accepted at the Zeehan Landfill or by a collection arrangement. Trucks will not be permitted into the transfer stations.
• Green waste will be accepted at transfer stations for a trial period of 12 months. Currently green waste deposited at the transfer stations is highly contaminated resulting in significant Council expenditure, if this continues, Council will move green waste collection to the landfill only and assess the potential for Green Waste Collection bins.
• Waste Transfer Stations will be updated with security cameras installed, illegal dumping will be proactively monitored, and enforcement action will be taken where possible.
• Council will provide two hard waste collections a year. Tires and car bodies will continue to be collected however the fee for disposal at the landfill of these items will apply.

Recycling will also need to change. Currently there is very limited uptake of recycling bins with only an average of 10% of households using the service (332 recycling bins for 3127 properties). Recycling collected is often so contaminated that Council must expend significant funds to have it sorted and cleaned or allow it to be sent to landfill. To resolve these issues, in 2020-2021 Council aims to move away from curbside collection and instead provide central separated recycling bins where residents will be able to dispose of recyclables free of charge. This aims to reduce contamination and increase recycling rates.

I urge all residents to be vigilant and to support our efforts to maintain a sustainable waste management system for the West Coast. Illegal dumping, recycling and green waste contamination, and inappropriate use of Waste Transfer Stations will only result in the requirement for fewer, manned waste transfer stations that are open less frequently, we need your help to ensure this doesn’t happen.

Current changes to the operating hours will not affect residential or commercial bin collection, and all businesses are encouraged to contact Council to discuss commercial collection options.

Waste Transfer Station Opening Times

Queenstown

Accepts — Domestic Waste, Green Waste, Oil

Monday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Tuesday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Wednesday Closed

Thursday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Friday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Saturday 8.00am to 4.00 pm

Sunday Closed

Strahan

Accepts — Domestic Waste, Green Waste, Oil

Monday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Tuesday Closed

Wednesday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Thursday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Friday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Saturday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Sunday Closed

Zeehan

Accepts — Domestic Waste, Green Waste, Oil

Monday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Tuesday Closed

Wednesday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Thursday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Friday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Saturday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Sunday Closed

Rosebery

Accepts — Domestic Waste, Green Waste, Oil

Monday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Tuesday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Wednesday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Thursday Closed

Friday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Saturday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Sunday Closed

Tullah

Accepts — Domestic Waste, Green Waste, Oil

Monday 8.00am to 3.30pm

Tuesday 8.00am to 3.30pm

Wednesday 8.00am to 3.30pm

Thursday Closed

Friday 8.00am to 3.30pm

Saturday Closed

Sunday Closed

There is currently no change to opening hours for the Transfer Stations at Trial and Granville Harbours.

All Transfer Stations will be closed public holidays (Excluding Easter Monday) and on days of Total Fire Ban.