TAMWORTH residents could have their recycling rights revoked if random bin inspections show they have a rubbish track record.
Council will look for community feedback on a proposed scheme to limit the amount of inappropriate waste going into green and recycling bins and Tamworth.
Under the scheme, council staff or contractors will be able to randomly inspect bins prior to collection.
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If there is “gross contamination” found by a bin inspector, the residents will be notified with a sticker on the bin or a letter.
If there’s four instances of contamination, council will remove the bin and suspend the household’s collection service for three months.
The policies are aimed at limiting contamination in kerbside green and recycling bin collections, which can be a “significant issue”.
“In respect to contaminated greenwaste collection bins, contamination creates additional workload for landfill staff and greenwaste processing contractors,” waste manager Dan Coe said in his report to council.
“Contamination can be hazardous to staff during the handling process and causes a reduction in the quality of the processed greenwaste material, i.e. mulch.”
The report said contamination could also be hazardous for recycling and landfill staff during the sorting process and could cause damage to equipment.
The recycling contamination rate in Tamworth is 10.3 per cent, slightly higher than the state average of 7.2 per cent.
Council will continue to undertake community waste and recycling education, including notices to households, items in the community newsletter and the school education program.
Tamworth Regional Council will vote on the draft policy at its Tuesday night meeting.
If the bin inspection motion is passed, the policy will go on public display for 28 days giving the community the opportunity to comment.
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
