Northern Rivers Talking Turkey

“Council is considering the possibility of introducing a kerbside recycling service in Kyogle over the next 2 to 3 years,” Kyogle Council General Manager Arthur Piggott said in response to questioning by the NRTT, “but the consideration includes the comparison with other larger scale recycling initiatives.”
Lismore City Council provide a kerbside recycling service to Lismore residents, and kerbside recycling began in Casino on 1 February.  Asked by the NRTT whether it would “be fair to label the Kyogle LGA a ‘recycling backwater’,” given our neighbours now have a kerbside service, Mr Piggott responded, “No”, and continued, “[t]here are other means of achieving waste minimisation which Council is investigating including the compaction and bailing of certain types of waste and other means of achieving income from recyclables in order to offset the costs to Council and the community.”
The NRTT approached Council and Councillor’s for information and comment in relation to recycling services in response to recent approaches by residents concerned that the Kyogle LGA does not have a kerbside service.  When asked if Kyogle Council has received requests from members of the community to introduce a kerbside program, Mr Piggott responded, “No”.  Council does however, “consider that a kerbside recycling service in Kyogle would benefit the community if a suitable site is available for the follow-up sorting, processing and re-use of the materials collected,” said Mr Piggott. 
Approximately 3250 tonnes of waste is disposed of at the Kyogle Landfill a year and approximately 400 tonnes at the Woodenbong Landfill.  Kyogle Council will pay a levy of $10 per tonne of waste to the State government this financial year which, for now, will be absorbed by Council.  “These costs would only be offset by a reduction in waste as a result of a kerbside recycling [program] if a suitable site was available for the disposal, processing and sorting of the kerbside collected recyclable waste,” said Mr Piggott.
“Options currently available to residents for recycling their waste are disposal of clean, uncontaminated green waste at no charge, disposal of contaminated green waste for a nominal charge, disposal of glass, cardboard/paper at Landfill and Transfer Station sites.”
Cr Janet Wilson told the NRTT that she is, “of the view that residents want kerbside recycling and they want the matter of waste management to be resolved along green principles to meet environmental objectives.” Cr Wilson noted that, “Council does not have a public policy on sustainability and all that goes with it.”
Cr Lindsay Passfield told the NRTT that he would consider kerbside recycling on a cost/benefit basis, and in the context of priorities identified by Council’s process to develop it’s management plan for the next 12 months.
If you want a kerbside recycling service in Kyogle you should let Council know by participating in the community consultation process to develop the Council management plan for the next 12 months. See the Council Meeting Round-Up article in this edition of the NRTT for details on development of that plan.