Consultation opens on new waste bylaw

Greater flexibility for kerbside bin sizes is one of several changes in the proposed Draft Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw 2023.

Consultation opens today on the bylaw which allows regulation of all waste collection services and operations.

Currently the Council has two waste bylaws – Waste Management Bylaw 2009 and the Cleanfill and Waste Handling Operations Bylaw 2015.

Resource Recovery Manager Ross Trotter said the current bylaws were legally due for review in 2025.

“However we decided to review them sooner to ensure they remain fit for purpose. Following the review we decided to replace the two existing bylaws with the proposed new one. The new bylaw is consistent with recent changes to regulations under the Waste Minimisation Act and our Climate Resilience Strategy. It will also assist in achieving our Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2020, including the goal to move towards zero waste.

The main changes in the new bylaw include:

• The ability for residents to opt out of and not pay for Council’s kerbside collection services in certain circumstances e.g. where Council’s contractor cannot easily access an area.
• More flexible rules for Council kerbside collection service, e.g. to allow for a wider range of bin options in the future.
• New requirements for waste management plans in some circumstances so that waste is managed more effectively, for multi-unit residential developments, demolition and construction activities, and large scale events.
• New rules to address the problems caused by unaddressed mail and advertising material and to deal with nuisance from litter, including litter around donation boxes for clothing and household goods.
• Allowing the Council to set standards for the collection points for recycling and diverted materials, given the likely introduction of container return schemes.
• Revised provisions to support the diversion of materials from landfill and to ensure that all waste materials are disposed of appropriately.
• Amendments to the licensing requirements for waste operators including for the collection of data, to enable more effective monitoring of the effectiveness of the Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.

Mr Trotter says the proposed changes will provide the Council with greater flexibility.

“Some of the proposed changes will legally enable us to adapt our services easier in the future. For example we will have the ability to offer different kerbside bin options for residents. While this is something that would need further investigation, the bylaw change provides us with a legal platform to adapt and support our Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.

Consultation on the Draft Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw closes on Sunday 26 February 2023.

Read the Draft Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw 2023 or have your say on the bylaw.