The 2020 bulky waste collection across the MidCoast region has been cancelled as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic following discussions between MidCoast Council and it's waste collection contractor, JR Richards.
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The annual bulky waste kerbside collection was suspended in mid-March, just days before it was due to start in the Gloucester area.
As well as being deemed a non-essential service, undertaking the collection has raised serious health risks for both the general public and waste contractors under pandemic conditions.
A decision has now been made to cancel the collection across all areas of the MidCoast this year.
"While it will be disappointing news for local residents, JR Richards and Council have made a decision in the best interests of community members and J R Richards staff," explained Paul De Szell, MidCoast Council's director of Liveable Communities.
"Manual handling of items left on the kerbside is a significant health risk while we are living under COVID-19 conditions and at present maintaining kerbside bin collection must take precedence over everything else."
Co-operation from Gloucester residents in removing waste that has already been placed out for collection has been pleasing.
Collections in other parts of the region were not due to start until May, so the message for these people is very much that the collection is cancelled and waste should not be placed on the kerb.
Issues inherent with the current bulky waste process have led council to review alternative solutions moving forward.
Council will be considering options for the future of the collection of bulky waste, with a report to go to the elected councillors to look at a number of options, including providing householders with up to three free self-haul vouchers each year and booked kerbside collections with co-payment from the resident.
"We receive widespread complaints every year about the mess bulky waste piles create in our streets, exacerbated by people placing items out too early, leaving uncollected items out after the collection is finished, and by people fossicking through waste," Mr De Szell added.
For now, all MidCoast Waste Management Centres remain open for waste disposal.
Household quantities of items such as paint, gas bottles, batteries, fluoro globes and electronic waste can be disposed of for free, so long as they are presented for disposal in isolation and are not mixed with items destined for landfill.
For more information and to find your nearest waste management centre, visit www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/waste
Regular kerbside bin collections, an essential service, continue as normal however residents are asked to place their bins out the night before their collection day as trucks are currently starting their runs at varied times.
