Two-bin service to start 1 May

Friday, 26 November 2010

Southland District Council has begun work on setting up its two-bin recycling and rubbish collection system which will start on 1 May 2011. Council's water and waste asset manager Ian Evans said Council had agreed to move to the two-bin system in its Annual Plan 2010-2011 after several years of consultation and discussion. The current contract for the wheelie bin collection is coming to an end and in order to fulfil obligations towards minimising the amount of waste sent to landfill, Council has resolved to replace this with the new two bin service.

Staff began sending letters to ratepayers last month informing them of the changeover date. The service is compulsory for those living within designated boundaries and whose property contains a residential dwelling, and voluntary for other ratepayers within those boundaries as well as ratepayers in rural areas. Voluntary recipients are being asked if they wish to sign up for the new service and if so would they wish to receive additional bins over the minimum of one recycling bin and one rubbish bin.

Letter have been sent to ratepayers outside the designated boundaries who already use the existing service and those who live near a scheduled pick-up route. However, Mr Evans said any ratepayer can have the bins if they are able to take to one of those designated pick-up routes. If ratepayers do not receive a letter but are interested in receiving the new service they are encouraged to contact Council on 0800 732732.

"I want to emphasis that the two-bin service is not additional to what ratepayers have now. It replaces the old one-bin service. Equally the estimated cost of $236 plus GST per year is not additional to what ratepayers now - that cost replaces the old charge," Mr Evans said.

"Council is charged with reducing waste to landfill and the new service will do this as all the items put in the recycling bin will go to Southland disAbility Enterprises Limited for sorting and recycling."

The new service will enable a more extensive range of materials to be recycled than current facilities allow, and will enable people with disabilities to have gainful employment. In addition proceeds from the sale of the recyclables will be shared back into the community.

Council believes it is important to let ratepayers know about the change, but also needs to find out bin numbers for the contractor so they can start to order the new bins as well as working out their own logistics.

More information on the service, including delivery days and what can be recycled will be sent out in the New Year and the new recycling bin will also have a sticker about what can be recycled on it.

"We are getting calls and enquiries and many of the questions are the same. A list of Frequently Asked Questions have been added to the Council website www.southlanddc.govt.nz, but if you do have questions, please feel free to ring 0800 732 732 and talk to our customer service officers."

Who to contact

If you would like to discuss a matter on this page, feel free to contact us:

Southland District Council
P.O. Box 903
Invercargill 9840
Phone: 0800 732 732
Fax: 0800 732 329
emailsdc@southlanddc.govt.nz