CONCERNS have been raised about a plan to establish a new disadvantaged youth and young offender service in Tamworth.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tamworth Regional Council voted in favour of an interim deal to keep money flowing into Challenge disability service’s recycling facility on Tuesday night.
The deal will see Challenge and council equally divide the profits gained through the 10 cent refund claimed through the eligible bottles and cans retrieved through the yellow-lidded bin collection.
READ MORE:
While the short-term could see Challenge pocket $300,000, the NSW government’s return-and-earn scheme has thrown a spanner in the works.
“Regional NSW has grabbed a hold of return-and-earn,” Challenge boss Barry Murphy said in a presentation to council.
“I understand this region has one of the highest return rates through the recycling machines.”
He said this has led to a notable decline in eligible bottles and cans going into the yellow-lidded bins in Tamworth.
Mr Murphy wants to establish a buyback centre and youth program, similar to Armidale’s Backtrack Youth Works with Challenge’s recycling profits.
“So if we go forward, what we need to do is make sure the community is aware the full 10 cents put in their yellow bin will go towards reducing waste and creating opportunities for youth,” he said.
Mr Murphy said other charities were also looking at how their organisations could similarly benefit from return-and-earn scheme, potentially cutting into the market.
Glenn Inglis said the deal was a sensible measure with Challenge needing a sharing arrangement in place by December 1 to continue to claim container refunds under new Environmental Protection Agency laws.
“It’s a sensible thing to do with the limited time-frame we’ve got,” Cr Inglis said.
“It buys time for Challenge and the council to review it going forward.”
Cr Inglis said it could be a tricky issue to review going forward with revenue needed to be forecast while taking into account and predicting recycling behaviours among residents.
“When business planning, forward assumptions and income generated can decide and not decide whether programs go ahead,” Cr Inglis said.