HOW bulk junk and green waste are collected in the City of Wanneroo will start to change sometime next year with the city aiming to over time phase out verge-side collections.
In the short term the change means the existing scheduled once a year verge-side junk waste and green waste collections will be replaced by pre-booked collection services (with size restrictions applying).
In the long term the change involves the development of more community drop-off sites, including non-City of Wanneroo community drop-off sites, where residents will be able to take their bulk waste.
The integration of community drop-off sites will be important because according to the city’s modelling a 50 per cent participation rate by residents in the pre-booked collection services will start to cost more than the city’s current scheduled verge collection system.
When the pre-booked collection services start the size of junk waste and green waste collections will be restricted to three cubic metres each.
The size restriction means white goods and mattresses will not be collected by the pre-booked collection service.
If residents want additional collections above the annual allocations they will attract a fee.
The proposal to adopt the pre-booked verge collection with size restrictions, which was unanimously adopted by councillors at the August 9 council meeting, will go out for community engagement.
The city is not planning on trialling the proposal but Yanchep News Online understands a review will be held in the future.
The August 9 officer’s report includes financial modelling carried out for the pre-booked verge collection option demonstrating the city could save about $1.46 million.
“(But) actual savings will be dependent on the participation rate with the maximum savings likely at 30 per cent participation and no savings at 50 per cent participation,’’ the officer’s report said.
The bulk waste review said in line with phase 2 of the city’s transition plan, community drop-off sites would be developed throughout the city, to allow residents the opportunity to dispose their bulky waste consistently throughout the year by their own means.
“The final number and placement of drop-off sites will be determined dependent upon the requirements of residents throughout the city,’’ the bulk waste review said.
“The aim of community drop-off sites is to effectively and efficiently improve waste service delivery and over time phase out verge-side collections once the take-up rate of the drop-off sites increases sufficiently to deal with most bulky wastes.’’
The review said currently residents have access to Tamala Park and the Recycling centre Balcatta to self-haul and dispose of recyclable items such as household hazardous waste, e-waste, cardboard and whitegoods at no cost – disposal costs apply to dispose of mattresses and general household junk.
Residents can also dispose of bulky green waste at the Wangara Greens Recycling Facility (WGRF) owned by the city.
“The green waste is removed from the site by Western Tree Recyclers and processed into shredded green waste, which is made available to residents.
“The WGRF also provides for drop-off of some bulky recyclables, including scrap metals, cardboard and polystyrene.
“It is expected that the Wangara site, currently utilised primarily for the drop-off of bulky green waste, will be developed more fully as one of the city’s community drop-off sites.
“Green waste will be only one of the many waste types received at the site, post development.’’
The proposed new system will require extra administration for booking and database management as well as additional cost to purchase booking and scheduling software.
Although the officer’s report on the item says the changes will take place late in the second quarter of the 2022-23 financial year at the council briefing on August 2 acting chief executive officer Harminder Singh said it would probably start in the middle of the next financial year.
According to the city’s April 2022 bulk waste review about 7500 tonnes of bulk junk and about 3500 tonnes of bulk greens were collected from 75,375 households in the city.
