2019-06-11 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                   11 JUNE 2019


5. Proposed Revision of the Garden Waste Service Policy
To achieve the diversion of garden waste from commercial, industrial, resort and multi-unit
accommodation, it is proposed that Council amend the current garden waste service policy to
include all premises within the defined garden waste service area, if they dispose of garden
waste into the general waste bin.
Proposed policy revision impacts:
   Maintain the current mandated service to domestic premises – (no change).
   Maintain the optional service outside the mandated service area – (no change).
   Introduce a requirement that premises in the garden waste service area must not place
     garden waste into a general waste bin.
   Make provision for an exemption from a garden waste service if a gardener removes
     garden waste to a resource recovery facility for mulching or another approved reuse (no
     change).
   Recognise that some premises may not physically be able to provide space for additional
     bins and may need exemption.
   Introduce the garden waste service for currently unserviced premises gradually during the
     2019/20 financial year.
   Acknowledge that not all premises will have cost savings if they cannot convert general
     waste services into garden waste services.
   Offer a new weekly 1,100 litre garden waste recycling service in coastal areas if there is
     sufficient take up of the service.

Previous Council Consideration
The proposal to expand the garden waste collection service and make provision for a 1,100 litre
garden waste bulk bin collection was discussed at the pre-budget workshop held 1 May 2019.

Finance
There are cost savings to be made for some premises by converting existing general waste
services to garden waste services as detailed in the report. If Council can divert say 2,000 tonnes
of additional commercial garden waste from landfill, commercial property owners will potentially
save $150,000 in waste levy charges.
Commercial property owners can also benefit by the conversion of existing waste services to
garden waste services at substantially reduced cost as detailed in the report.
The 2019/20 revenue statement will make provision for a new garden waste bin category (1,100
litre low noise bin) that more appropriately accommodates garden waste from larger
developments. Cleanaway has agreed to supply this service weekly as a contract variation
provided sufficient number of services (39 weekly), are available to make the collection viable.
The lift rate is the same as a waste bin service.
Cleanaway will require a variation to the Waste Management Contract 1516T043 to include the
provision of a weekly 1,100 litre garden waste collection service in 2019/20. The price of the
service has been calculated as part of the formulation of the 2019/20 budget.
Rather than stipulate the minimum number of garden waste bins that must be made available it is
proposed that the criteria will be “no garden waste is to be placed in the general waste bin”. This
criteria will avoid over supply of bins where they are not needed, such as at developments where
there are minimal gardens. It will also accommodate situations where large volumes of garden
waste is produced and is currently placed into general waste bins.




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