Bag Rise Will Help Meet Recycling Costs
Thursday, 12 July 2007
The cost of the City Council’s recycling collection and rubbish disposal is reflected in an increase in the price of rubbish bags.
From August 1 the cost of a bag will rise from $1.00 ($10 for a pack of 10 – GST inclusive) to $1.25 ($12.50 for a pack of 10). The increase was confirmed in the City Council’s Annual Plan which is year two of its 10 Year Plan.
The Council’s Water and Waste Services Manager, Chris Pepper, says the Council is progressively moving towards a full user pays policy for its kerbside rubbish collection.
While the Council is still subsidising the cost of rubbish bags – the true cost is about $1.80 per bag – it is passing more on to the consumer.
“We are committed to reducing the amount of city waste being transported to the landfill. Therefore we are strongly emphasising recycling as a way to achieve this reduction,” Chris Pepper says.
“Our goal is to increase the amount of household recycling from 30 percent to 50 percent of the total waste produced. However this comes at a cost and the rubbish bag increase is reflected in this figure.”
Chris points out that this financial year (2007/2008) the cost of recycling collection and processing, composting and dumping of green waste at the landfill, environmental education and support for waste minimisation comes to $2.4 million.
The commitment to the Council’s Waste Minimisation Scheme which it confirmed following community consultation must be fully funded from rates he says.
“The cost of the rubbish bags is also determined by the sale of the bags and, if the demand rises, the Council will be able to minimise any future increases,” Chris Pepper says.
