July 1, 2013
The South Burnett Regional Council is distributing survey forms to residents about the proposed introduction of recycling and green waste kerbside collections.
The form will be mailed to all properties that currently get a kerbside refuse collection.
Council is requesting that residents read through the brief information sheet and complete the short survey, then return it in the supplied return envelope or drop it off at any Council office.
“By filling out the survey you will be assisting Council to make an informed decision about the future of waste management for the South Burnett,” a Council spokesman said.
The spokesman said there were three reasons that Council was conducting the survey:
1. Community Expectation – There was strong community input into the Community Plan for the implementation of recycling initiatives throughout the region. The implementation of kerbside recycling and green waste services would be a positive step in responding to this community expectation.
2. Environmental Sustainability – Implementing kerbside recycling is generally accepted as an environmentally sustainable and responsible practice. A waste audit conducted in the region during 2012 identified that almost half (48 per cent) of the waste in a domestic wheelie bin contained recyclable items and a further 14 per cent was green waste. Kerbside recycling and green waste collections could therefore divert large volumes of the current waste for reuse, which would otherwise end up going to landfills which costs money.
3. Long-Term Cost Savings – Landfills have a limited capacity. For example, it is estimated that the Kingaroy and Nanango landfills have an average life expectancy of 15 years before closure, while Wondai and Murgon have a combined life expectancy of 10 years at the current rates or volumes of disposal. By decreasing the volume of waste going to landfill through kerbside recycling, the community would defer these closures and costs. The costs associated with the development of a new landfill are also deferred. The cost to ratepayers for a new State Government-approved and compliant landfill could be in the order of $6 million.
The survey forms must be returned to Council by Friday, July 12.
