Brimbank’s waste and recycling service will remain unchanged for now, while council continues to evaluate the best way to roll-out the Victorian government’s four-bin waste and recycling service model.
At its meeting on Tuesday, July 19, council received the results of extensive community consultation on the state government’s waste and recycling reforms. Consultation included a community survey online and in-person, focus groups and local shopping centre engagement with residents.
Council’s opt-in green waste service changed this month as part of the reforms. From July 1, users of the green waste service can now add food scraps to this bin. council will receive a further report about options to extend this service to all residents by July next year.
Council also agreed to delay the introduction of a new separate glass collection service until the impacts of the proposed state government’s Container Deposit Scheme are better known.
The survey found 52 per cent of respondents saw the community benefit of a four-bin waste and recycling service, while 41 per cent believed it was not good fro the community, and 62 per cent believed it would not suit their household needs.
The main concerns expressed were about garbage bin size, collection frequency, cost, contamination concerns and odour issues.
Mayor Jasmine Nguyen said it was essential that council got any changes to its waste and recycling service right.
“This approach addresses the community’s feedback. This will impact the speed of the change. But the consultation results also shows that residents want to reduce landfill and respond to the climate emergency. However, they want a waste and recycling service that supports their needs,” she said.
