Council kerbside program in doubt
The future of Ipswich’s kerbside clean-up remains unclear, with Ipswich City Council yet to make a decision on continuing the waste management program.
City Works Committee chairman Trevor Nardi said the State Government would introduce a $35 a tonne industry waste levy on July 1 next year that could kill off the program.
“Ipswich has not made a decision with regards to the kerbside clean-up,” Cr Nardi said.
“To be honest it’s not high on our priorities because we’re waiting to see how the government legislation takes shape next year.
“The new legislation could make it more difficult to conduct community programs like the kerbside clean-up, but we will have to wait and see.”
Cr Nardi said it would not apply to household wheelie bins.
“It won’t make any difference to the green wheelie bins and recycle bins we all use at home,” he said.
“However, it does mean council might have to pay ($35) a tonne to take rubbish collected during the clean-up to refuse centres.”
Cr Nardi said the council was investigating several long-term options to reduce waste.
“Some of the things we’re looking at include bigger green wheelie bins for residential properties,” he said.
The last clean-up was October-November 2007.
Premier Anna Bligh said the controversial waste levy would bring Queensland into line with other Australian states.
“Other mainland states not only have a waste levy but are actually increasing theirs, exposing Queensland as an even cheaper place for interstate companies to dump their waste,” she said.
“We need a waste management system where recycling is the default option over landfill.”
By Brad Weier
Source: The Queensland Times
