Hepburn Shire residents have been hit with heftier waste charges as a result of the ongoing ambiguity around Australia’s recycling processing and the rising cost of waste management.
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Hepburn Shire Council last week announced the increases in its newly released 2018-19 budget, as the government grapples to find a solution.
The increases follow China’s decision to refuse recyclable material imports from January 1, which spurred a global recycling crisis.
Council said rate increases have been capped at 2.25 per cent as per the state government’s Fair Go Rates System, but said waste charges would be increased.
The shire’s kerbside recycling collection charge has increased from $46 to $79, an increase of $33.
The waste management charge has also increased by $12, from $118 last year to $130 this year.
Garbage collection has increased by $2.
Council stated a new fee for co-mingled recyclables received at transfer stations is also to be introduced.
Hepburn Shire chief executive officer, Aaron van Egmond, said since 2012-13, cost savings and efficiency improvements in waste management had allowed for decreased waste charges.
“While we are increasing waste charges in 2018-19 due to the recycling issues affecting most councils, a resident receiving kerbside collection services will still be paying less in 2018-19 than 2012-13,” Mr van Egmond said.
Hepburn mayor John Cottrell said the issue was being faced by all councils Australia-wide.
“Dealing effectively with recyclable materials is an issue facing all councils. Our council is investigating innovative ways to efficiently process our recyclables in the future and increase our overall recycling efforts.”
Hepburn Shire Council said it would continue to investigate a range of solutions to cut the costs associated with the waste crisis, including exploring if it is effective to reduce rubbish collection from weekly to fortnightly.
Mt Alexander Shire Council’s 2018-19 budget, by comparison, has increased its kerbside bin collection charges by an average of 5.4 per cent.
“The increase in annual waste charges, between 3.7 per cent and 7 per cent, reflects the rising costs of waste management, global recycling challenges, payment of the State Government landfill levy and the cost of rehabilitating current cells in the landfill,” Mayor Bronwen Machin said.
