We're asking for community feedback on changes to bin collection schedules in July 2022 well in advance to allow plenty of time to get ready. 365 days from today to be precise!
From July 2022, general waste bins will be emptied fortnightly and food and green waste bins will be emptied weekly.
We're making the change so we can continue to reduce the environmental impact of our waste as well as safeguard our community from future cost increases to dispose of waste in landfill.
Landfills are filling up - and are expensive!
Bayside currently transports our kerbside waste to the Melbourne Regional Landfill in Ravenhall. There is only one remaining landfill in the South-East of Melbourne which only has limited capacity and an anticipated 5-year lifespan remaining.
Costs are significantly increasing because Melbourne's landfill site are filling up adn news ones aren't being constructed. The Victorian Government's landfill levy is increasing by 60%, with further increases already forecast in the following years. Landfill is an expensive and unsustainable way to treat our waste and we need to find better ways to minimise the amount of waste we send to landfill. Our food and green waste service and the change to bin collections are two ways we are doing this.
In 2018, 68% said no worries to fortnightly general waste collections
In 2018 we asked for community feedback on changing bin collection schedules as part of the development of our Bayside Recycling and Waste Strategy 2018-2027.
A significant majority of the 1,681 respondents (68%) indicated they would support a change in the collection frequency. This has helped to inform our decision to switch the collection frequency. You can read the strategy and engagement findings here
We've got plenty of time to get ready
We are flagging the bin collection changes more than 12 months out so that:
- We can seek feedback on the needs of residents who may have specific waste needs, such as large families, people with disabilities, or households with children with nappies.
- Community feedback will help us to understand how best to support residents and may include developing targeted waste services to assist residents with specific waste needs.
- We can start to help the Bayside community prepare for the change, reduce waste, and recycle correctly. The long lead time will help us all get ready for this change.
Our general waste bins are half full of stuff that can be recycled
Recent bin checks show that 18% of general waste bin contents is recycling that should be in the blue bin whilst a further 36% is food waste and can go into the food and green waste bin.
An additional 10% is made up of soft plastics that can be recycled via REDcycle's soft plastics recycling drop off locations available in most major supermarkets, Beaumaris Library, and at Council's Corporate Centre.
This can add around 60% more capacity to your general waste bin. We want to encourage all Bayside households to reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill by using their bins properly and recycling correctly.
We can do it!
The issue of reducing and managing waste is being faced by all communities, not just Bayside. Many other communities have already made the change to fortnightly general waste collections and others are planning to change in the coming years - Bayside is the 17th municipality in Victoria to change including our neighbours Glen Eira. If they can do it, we can too.
Feedback closes 9 July 2021
