Colac Otway secures new recycling contract
Published on 12 November 2018
Colac Otway secures new recycling contract
Colac Otway Shire Mayor Joe McCracken is urging residents to take extra care separating their rubbish from their recycling and green waste, with bin inspections starting again this week across the shire.
The bin inspections, which coincide with National Recycling Week, will importantly determine the cost of processing recycling for the Council and ultimately any resident who receives a bin-collection service.
"Colac Otway Shire Council, along with our neighbouring G21 councils, has negotiated a price for our waste contractor to process our recyclables but that price is subject to the recyclables collected having a maximum of seven per cent contaminated material,” Cr McCracken said.
"And this is why it's critical than we all recycle right and get it right on bin night."
"Contractor SKM's proposal to the G21 Councils was to pay $60 per tonne to our recycling but the G21 councils were able to negotiate a reduction in processing fee down to $45 per tonne which is a significant savings of $15 per tonne.
"In 2017-18, Colac Otway recycled about 2299.78 tonnes of materials, which based on $60 per tonne equals about$237,9340 in processing costs,” he said.
"The reduced cost of $45 per tonne equates to $103,455.00 or a possible savings of $34,485.00 over a 12 month period.”
But Cr McCracken said Council needed the community on board to help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and save a significant amount of money.
"Contaminations levels were at 10 per cent in the previous contract, and anything over 10 per cent, Council would pay for haulage and disposal for that contaminated materials,” he said.
"With the changes overseas to accepting recycling from other countries and the impact on Australia, SKM actually put forward a zero-per-cent contamination level which the G21 councils were able to increase it to a seven-per-cent level.
"But that means Council will pay for haulage and disposal for contaminated materials over that seven per cent which will be costly for Council and ratepayers.
"So not only do we need to take care with our recycling to help save the planet, we also need to save our community money,” Cr McCracken said.
“Council is also encouraging people to share their recycling experiences with a special Facebook promotion for National Recycling Week.”
Residents can learn more about what can be recycled and what contaminates recycling bins on Council’s website at www.colacotway.vic.gov.au
Main contaminates in Colac Otway recycling bins are:
• Polystyrene/ Foam - must go into red garbage bin
• Bagged recycling - keep all recycling loose or use Yellow recycle bags $5 each from Council CA offices and VIC centres
• Soft Plastics - should go to Woolworths/ Coles or Purple bins at Council offices
• Clothes/shoes - Charity opp shop bins, or red garbage bin if no good for reuse
• Building materials - Transfer Stations only
• Nappies - must go into red garbage bin