By Tate Papworth
Brimbank’s kerbside recycling waste continues to be sent to landfill.
Brimbank is one of 20 Victorian councils adversely impacted after the Environment Protection Authority banned SKM Services from accepting waste at its Coolaroo and Laverton North sites last month.
Hume council has criticised SKM for failing to properly manage its recycling plants while Wyndham council last week cut ties with SKM, saying the company had failed to fulfil its contractual obligations, and switched to Visy.
Star Weekly asked the council if it is considering a similar stance. Brimbank infrastructure and city services director Neil Whiteside said the council had a contract with SKM to 2026.
“Brimbank council is hugely disappointed that the temporary stop on recycling processing at SKM has yet to be resolved,” Mr Whiteside said. “We continue to be in daily contact with the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group (MWRRG, contract principal) and SKM.”
A number of councils have asked residents to avoid putting out recyclable material, but Mr Whiteside said Brimbank council did not expect residents to store waste.
“Our priority is the health and safety of the community,” he said.
“We can’t expect our community to store recyclables indefinitely. At the same time, we thank those households who have kept their recycling bins in during this time, if they have not been full, and those making an extra effort to cut back on their recycling waste.”
