The City of Mount Gambier bulky waste trial has concluded with Council considering a report at the December 2020 meeting summarising the results of the introductory initiative.
As part of Council's 'Our City, Our Response' COVID-19 initiatives each residential property was invited to access one free bulky waste collection by appointment between the period of July and December 2020.
Hailing the initiative as a success, City of Mount Gambier Manager Waste and ReUse Mark McDonald said Council is now evaluating the data to identify how the service may be delivered beyond the trial.
The initiative has been well received by the community and we thank those who took the opportunity to dispose of hard waste responsibly.- City of Mount Gambier Manager Waste and ReUse Mark McDonald
More than 1,900 residents took up the service, equating to almost 2,500 large items weighing around 450 tonnes with the trial costing approximately $200,000.
"Of the materials collected, we have been able to recycle or reuse as much as 95 per cent, with only five per cent ending up in landfill which is an excellent result."
Council will continue to pursue the most cost effective method of delivering the service to residents as part of the 2021/2022 budget process.
"The trial was well subscribed, and we will now review the information we were able to obtain through the process to plan the next steps from here," Mr McDonald said.
"Whether that be utilising existing Council staff during the off-peak periods of the year, contract labour or a combination of both."
