AFTER a much talked about month of the new four-bin system for the Mitchell Shire Council (MSC), how is it performing?
According to Shire numbers, the amount of waste diverted from landfill has more than doubled year-on-year, yet there is also acknowledgement from all that it is still a work in progress—particularly with the new fortnightly collection of general rubbish and recycling.
Through March, 55 per cent of kerbside waste was diverted from landfill, which is an improvement from what was recorded in March last year, with 26 per cent under the old two-bin system.
Mayor Councillor John Dougall said this reflects on the community’s current effort in adjusting to the system.
“This is a great outcome for our environment and a testament to the efforts people are making to sort their waste,” he said.
“By separating waste into four bins, we’re not only improving recycling outcomes but also helping to cut greenhouse gas emissions as we work toward our target of net zero emissions by 2035.”
However, there is also a level of acknowledgement that there’s still plenty of work to be done to completely adjust, with businesses and residents reporting on rubbish dumping and overflowing rubbish since the new system was put in place.
One Sydney Street business, who declined to be named, told The North Central Review that with the bin structure changing, overflowing has become a real problem.
“It was always a slight problem, but since the bin change, it’s become a real issue. The amount of rubbish businesses is trying to get rid of hasn’t changed, but the collection has,” they said.
“We have no problem with the businesses or the people, they are doing the best they can to limit, bag it up and prevent the problem, but it’s definitely a Council thing to provide a larger bin to support those businesses and stop the rubbish going everywhere.”
The business said discussions with Council have been raised but have not been fruitful as of yet, despite additional bins being offered for an extra cost.
“It’s caused a lot more rubbish to go everywhere. For these businesses, it makes it really difficult,” they said.
Other images, seen by The North Central Review, shows illegal dumping of rubbish on Old Sydney Road, which reared its head again on the weekend with multiple cars and trucks taking the road following the closure of the Hume Freeway southbound from Kalkallo on Sunday morning.
Cr Dougall said support is available for all who need it to better understand what goes in what bin, with food and garden organics collected weekly, recycling and general rubbish collected fortnightly and glass collected monthly.
“We know change takes time and we’re here to help,” he said.
“If you’re unsure about what goes in your bins, our A–Z waste guide on the website and the My Mitchell app is a great resource. And if you’re still having trouble, please contact our team.”
The MSC is committed to reviewing the rollout after six months of implementation, which means a review will be carried out in September.
Community feedback and service data will be considered, both to research how the system has been working and whether change is needed.
MSC said in a press release that most work is currently going into educating residents into contamination in the glass and food and garden organics bins.
Council will also offer assistance for households with medical waste and those with six or more occupants.
It’s now evident the bin system is not working as it should the red bin should be weekly and the green bin should be every fortnight you only have to walk around the streets there are very few green bins out on pick up day but on the red bin day the bins are overflowing with rubbish and the crows getting into them The are more black plastic bags of rubbish appearing on the back roads every week and in Wallan the street bins in the shopping strip are being used to take domestic rubbish as well by householders, Council just admit you made the wrong call and fix it