RED bin confusion reigns on the streets of Port Macquarie and Wauchope with the rollout of the new fortnightly domestic waste collection service on Monday.
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Despite months of community education by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council and the distribution of information booklets with the delivery of every new red bin and kitchen tidy unit, many residents on the Monday rubbish collection roster were left with old red bins full of waste.
Vocal advocate for the weekly red bin collection to be maintained, Tracey Barron, said conflicting information about when the new bins were to be used has confused householders on the Monday waste service.
Brochures issued by council clearly state the new red bin should be used from September 1, reinforcing waste contractors would not empty rubbish from old red bins from this date. On council’s website however, information about the new waste services suggests red bins are to be used ‘after’ September 1.
“I think the general feedback I’ve been getting from people is they understand they need to use their red bin from September 1,” Mrs Barron said.
“But some people thought they could use their old bin up until that date. And those bins are not being picked up now.
“We went for a walk around our estate (on Monday night) and there were lots of old red bins out.
“The truck driver was still out at 8pm collecting bins and he said he had been copping a lot of abuse because no-one knows what’s going on.”
Mrs Barron set up a Facebook page opposing the shift to fortnightly red bin collection back in December when council took a ‘leadership role’ in a long-term plan to help reduce the level of waste ending up in landfill.
While Mrs Barron is resigned to the fact the decision has been made and implemented, she remains critical of council’s lack of community consultation on the change.
“I think their idea of consulting and the community’s idea of consulting is very different,” she said, adding that inviting greater community buy-in and ownership on the issue would have had a more positive result.
“I think the way in which this was implemented was really poor.”
Hastings residents are now required to decide what they would like to do with their old red and yellow bins. If residents choose not to keep them, the old bins must be placed on the kerbside upside-down from September 8 when they will be collected for recycling.
HERE is what you need to know about how to use your bins under Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s new fortnightly waste collection service.
- There will be no change to the collection frequency or days for the green (weekly) and yellow (fortnightly) bin collections.
- The red bin will be collected on alternate weeks to the yellow bin (unless you opt for the weekly excess service).
- All food waste including meat, bones, seafood, seafood shells, fruit and vegetable scraps, bread, plate scrapings, teabags, coffee grounds and soiled kitchen paper or napkins can be placed in the kitchen tidy and then disposed of in the green bin for weekly collection.
- The yearly free kerbside collection for bulky household waste has now ceased. Ratepayers will receive two free tip tickets with their rates notice to dispose of larger household items at the region’s waste management facilities.
- An unlimited pay-as-you-go service will be available for kerbside collection of bulky waste (2m3). The cost is $32 per collection. Call council on 6581 8111 to book and pay for this service.
- Council accepts the following items free at its waste facilities - bulk cardboard, glass bottles and aluminium cans, oil, hazardous materials (up to 20 litres free), e-waste, and scrap metal such as whitegoods.
GETTING RID OF YOUR OLD BINS
If residents choose not to keep them, the old bins must be placed on the kerbside upside-down from September 8 when they will be collected for recycling.