Waste-site fees increased

The Mindarie Regional Council adopted its 2013-14 budget last month (June), which includes an increase in gate fees from $137 per tonne to $149 per tonne for the cities of Stirling, Joondalup, Wanneroo, Perth and Vincent, and the towns of Cambridge and Victoria Park.

In the year ahead, the council expects to receive about 270,994 tonnes of waste from its members, including 73,000 from Stirling after the majority of the council decided earlier this year not to extend its exemption and ask it to remain within the regional council. ‘The revenue and costs associated with these additional tonnes are taken into account in the budget,’ a report to the council said.

‘However, given the contentious nature of these tonnes, they have not been taken into account in setting the members’ gate fee.’

Of all the members’ waste, about 100,000 tonnes should go to the resource recovery facility in Neerabup, which will in turn generate 48,700 tonnes of residue that would go to landfill, while the remainder is turned to compost.

Gate fees for non-members, such as businesses that deliver waste to the Tamala Park landfill site, will be marginally lower at $150.91, a decision made because non-member tonnes received in the past year had been below expectations, according to the June 20 agenda.

‘Non-member tonnes had been budgeted at 53,000 tonnes for the year, but the actual result for the 2012-13 financial year is likely to be closer to 40,000 tonnes,’ a report said. ‘Discussions with customers have revealed that this drop is purely in response to price increases which have been made in the last two years.

‘Keeping the non-members’ fee static is part of a strategy to ensure that we do not drop below the 40,000 non-member tonnes forecast for 2013-14.’ The report said MRC planned two significant infrastructure projects in June 2014 ” the $6 million purchase of a new landfill site, and construction of a $4 million sorting shed.

It also said significant increases in costs included a 6 per cent ($260,996) rise in employee costs, 32 per cent ($259,900) hike in landfill expenses, 10 per cent ($97,000) increase in operating and hire costs, and 7 per cent ($1.56 million) rise in the resource recovery facility costs.

‘Utility costs have increased by $192,700 (105 per cent) primarily as a result of a $160,000 increase in land rates charged to the MRC by the City of Wanneroo,’ it said.

Insurance costs have risen by 64 per cent, according to the report, and cell development costs by 64 per cent, or $1.04m.