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Waste system: Confusion piles up

Liam Ducey, Stirling TimesEastern Reporter

This man’s complaints come amid a community backlash at the new verge collection system that came into effect in January ” which has halved the number of kerbside collections for green and bulk waste to one each per year ” without prior consultation with ratepayers.

After more than three months, residents have still not received their promised Waste and Recycling Guide that was to contain three tip passes as compensation for losing pick-up services.

The City said last Friday the delay was due to the extra time required to develop and bar-code the guide ‘compared to minor updates required in future years’.

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City of Stirling waste and fleet manager Sean Sciberras said residents on the western side of the city ” the suburbs of Trigg, Scarborough, Watermans Bay, Wembley Downs, North Beach, Doubleview, Churchlands, Glendalough, Innaloo and Woodlands ” who had a verge collection re-scheduled, were mailed a letter that would double as a temporary tip pass in early 2013 to compensate for the inconvenience.

However, one Woodlands resident said he had not received it.

Robert Bates was left scratching his head after he attempted to dispose of a mattress and a load of old timber.

The Cedric Street resident is not classified as living on the ‘western side’ of the City and so did not get a temporary tip pass.

Without a new pass, Mr Bates is unable to dispose of his mattress, which he has left in his house waiting for the next verge pick up.

When he went to Balcatta tip, he was told by the attendant that he could not use the tip pass he received in last year’s rates notice.

‘I was told that I’d have to pay to get rid of the timber. But it’s timber, I thought I’d be able to recycle it,’ he said.

‘I had an old pass there and I was told it wasn’t acceptable, because it either had to be clean green or clean waste, and I’d be charged. The situation with waste in the City of Stirling is just ridiculous.

‘I haven’t received one of these temporary passes because apparently I don’t need one, but I’d certainly say I do.’

Mr Sciberras said residents could dump at the Recycling Centre Balcatta if they held a 2012-13 tip pass distributed with rates notices last year, or the interim tip pass letter.

A Eastern Reporter investigation found residents could use the letter to dispose of up to one tonne of ‘mixed waste’, which includes timber. Mr Sciberras said delivery of the Waste and Recycling Guide would start on April 13, and would include a pass for mixed waste.