Tweed Council’s word on the great wheelie bin debate

STRONG community opinions have emerged following Tweed Shire councillor Kimberly Hone’s call to increase the council’s pick up of general waste red bins from fortnightly to weekly collection.

In last week’s council general meeting, Cr Hone and Cr Reece Byrnes Council presented a motion for a report on opportunities to increase the red bins pick up. The motion was lost two votes to five.

In significant print press and social media traffic, the community made its feelings known about the challenges of fortnightly red bin collection, particularly in the hot and humid warmer months.

Citing health risks and that once a fortnight bin collection is insufficient, alternative views posit that more efficient recycling is the solution.

An Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) statement recently decreed cardboard, newspaper, paper towels, tissues, compostable packaging and tea bags should no longer be disposed of in green food organics bins due to PFAS and PFOA chemicals making their way into compost.

In her motion, Cr Hone said that due to the updated environmental regulations on recycling, more waste materials needed to go in the red bin.

“These bins are filling up quickly, and I’m seeking a council report on how to address this issue as we are coming into the summer months, and flies and other pests are contaminating the red bins,” she said.

Council management’s response stated that changes would have substantial financial implications and negatively impact the use of the organic bin, which diverts nearly 30 per cent of domestic waste.

“Increasing the red bin collection would impact Council’s ability to meet the State Government’s targets for household waste diversion as required through the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2001 (WARR) and would lead to an increase in organics to landfill which has environmental implications,” the response said.

The WARR Act’s target for diverting household waste is currently 70 per cent, driven mainly by the green bin collection service.

“Tweed Council’s current rate is 58 per cent. A weekly red bin collection service would severely undermine and potentially reduce the savings and improvements made over the past few years.”

The council recommends that residents who require extra capacity consider a larger bin (240 litres from the standard 140 litres) at an annual fee of $63.30. A weekly red bin pickup would increase rates by $90 per year.