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MidCoast Council rejects the community perception that waste dumping at local charities is caused by the fees charged at its waste management facilities in Tinonee and Tuncurry.
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Members of the public this week pointed to council’s fees as a factor in the growing problem of people dumping unsaleable household items at charity op shops outside of business hours. Volunteers at the Salvation Army Family Store in Pulteney Street, Taree worked for more than an hour on Monday to clean-up the mess after the dumping of unsaleable sofas and a large number of bags and boxes on Sunday.
Store manager Danielle Volkers said the items “were strewn everywhere” and it cost the charity $65 in waste disposal fees to dispose of the dumped items at the Bucketts Way Waste Management Facility in Tinonee.
The comments of Emma Strybis and Melissa Anderson represent public sentiment expressed on social media about the incident.
“If the tip didn't charge outrageous fees this probably wouldn't happen,” Emma said. “Often people don't have the money to pay for the tip,” Melissa added.
Council’s manager of waste and regulatory services, John Cavanagh said council was “very conscious of keeping waste disposal fees as low as possible” and revealed that its “waste disposal fees are considerably lower” than neighbouring councils Port Macquarie-Hastings and Port Stephens.
“The fees are calculated simply by recovering the cost of providing the service.”
Mr Cavanagh cited the costs per tonne as evidence – MidCoast Council $175, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council $220 and Port Stephens $269.
“Sadly it seems the only way to minimise waste dumping at charities is for them to only accept donations during business hours. This seems to be what has been happening in the larger cities to combat this unfortunate problem.”
In 2016 council collected almost two million tonnes of bulky household waste during its annual free kerbside pick-up. The cost of the service to council was $111,981.70.
“They are not actually ‘free’ but provided to households who pay the annual domestic waste charges in their rates. The cost of the service has to come from somewhere and the most equitable way is for those who use a service, pay for the service.”
Mr Cavanagh said council was reviewing its 2017-2018 fees and would soon update its 10-year financial plan for waste services.