FINAL WASTE PLAN 2023 - 2028 · Attachment 3: Waste Survey Aug-Sept 23_ Summary of open-ended responses

   “Certainly no more bins!! Bring back kerbside collection. No extra cost to ratepayer
   every time a new idea is decided upon. Offering a free [bin] replacement every 5-
   10 years, they get quite damaged from the truck arms.”

   “Rate payers cannot be hit with high increases to support this. People can’t afford
   it. The idea of EV is ridiculous as this country has the highest electricity rates in the
   world and they are not economical. There are many free options available to
   encourage residents to better manage their waste. I do not support any massive
   increase to rates for any of this plan.”

As highlighted on page 11 “Key Divers of the Waste Plan – Cost Savings,” every tonne
of waste to landfill that can be reduced and recycled is a cost saving and even has the
potential to create revenue through the sale of materials. In the 2022-23 financial year
the State waste levy was $95 per tonne. The State waste levy will increase by $10 per
tonne until it reaches $145 per tonne on 1 July 2027.

As stated by one of the Your Say survey respondents (March 2023) “this is not about
what it will cost to do this, it’s about what it will cost in the long term if we don’t.”

In the Waste Plan, Theme 3: Circular Economy and Economic Opportunities includes
several actions aimed at developing the circular economy to unlock economic
opportunities and promote employment and in turn reduce the cost to the community
of landfilling material that could be utilised as a resource with potential revenue
generation.

8. Less than 10% of open-ended comments included:

          •   Praise for the Waste Plan and other innovative waste minimisation
              suggestions. (8%)
          •   None Waste Plan related responses. (8%) e.g Comments about the
              Local Government Act
          •   Request for free tip vouchers and to make it free to take things to the
              tip (especially green waste). (8%)
          •   Frustration that the Waste Plan is too general or not going far enough.
              (5%)
          •   Believe the exiting waste operations are working well and don’t need to
              change anything. (5%)
          •   Oppose the United Nations and climate change science. (4%)
          •   Suggest changes to bin service fee structure to reward those who
              reduce waste. (3%)