Wanneroo Council to consider three-bin system

WANNEROO Council could roll out a three-bin system if it follows the steps taken by other councils across Perth next week.

The council is due to consider a report recommending it take up the system to provide one green- lid bin for food organics and green organics (FOGO), a yellow-lid bin for recyclable materials and a red-lid bin for landfill.

The current two-bin system includes a yellow-lid bin for recycling, processed by Cleanaway in Guildford, and a green-lid bin for general waste that Mindarie Regional Council (MRC) processes at its resource recovery facility in Neerabup or landfill site in Tamala Park.

Assets director Harminder Singh said the City had developed a business case looking at several options to manage waste, reduce costs and improve recycling rates.

Mr Singh said introducing a FOGO bin could increase the recycling rate from 40 to 59 per cent, with the organic waste turned into compost.

A council report said the City could save between $21 million and $34 million over 10 years by implementing the program.

It said the City could use its waste reserve, which had a balance of $8.9 million, as well as up to $2.4 million from the Waste Authority’s Better Bins Program to cover the cost of rolling out a third bin and changing lids on existing bins.

The draft 2019-20 budget, due to be considered this Friday, allocated $320,000 for salaries of additional resources needed to roll out the program and $250,000 for marketing and community engagement.

Mr Singh said if it was endorsed by the council on July 2, the next step would be to invite tenders in July.

Discussion at this week’s council briefing session included questions about communicating changes to bin collections and how contractors would manage contamination, including hazardous medical waste.

Councillors also asked how it would affect MRC, which currently processes the City’s general waste from households, producing compost at its Neerabup facility.

“Given we are one of the largest waste suppliers to MRC, even with a reduction in waste going to MRC, the City of Wanneroo will be in a better position financially,” Mr Singh said.

Environment Minister Stephen Dawson today announced 28 projects across WA would share in grants totalling $2.29 million through the Community and Industry Engagement program.

Mindarie Regional Council received a $81,450 grant for a FOGO trial of compost testing.

Visit www.wanneroo.wa.gov.au for more information.