Tauranga will have council led waste collection

Private rubbish collection will be replaced by a council led one in 2021. File image/SunLive.

Tauranga residents will be charged a targeted rate for kerbside waste collections for all households next year.

The service will initially cost $230 including GST for the first year, this includes the existing charge for glass recycling of $37 a year.

It will be charged in residential rates from July 1, 2021

This means weekly food scraps and fortnightly rubbish and recycling collections will be added to existing council glass recycling collections.

The new charge will replace the costs the vast majority of households currently pay for kerbside collections, says a statement from Tauranga City Council.

Households can also choose whether to opt into a rates-funded monthly garden waste service for an additional $60 including GST for the first year.

Almost 70 per cent of Tauranga's household waste sent to landfill could be recycled or composted instead, says the statement.

'The service is expected to halve the amount of waste each household sends to landfill by 2028.”

Mayor Tenby Powell says a rates-funded system will make reducing waste easier, more accessible and more affordable for the community as a whole.

'Other councils that have introduced similar services have seen a large reduction in household waste going to landfill and we expect a similar result in Tauranga.”

Council acknowledges that the new collection service will be a big change for the city.

'We know that some companies currently operating kerbside waste collections will be adversely affected by this decision, and that's a matter of regret in these difficult times,” says Powell.

'However, this is one of those occasions where we have to make a difficult decision to get the best outcome for our community and the environment.”

The decision to introduce the kerbside waste collections follows a successful procurement process which means the majority of households will see their current waste disposal costs reduced, while receiving a more comprehensive service, says the statement.

The annual cost for the new service is the same as using one and a half rubbish bags a week, and significantly less than the $515 a year the average household that only uses private kerbside rubbish and recycling collections pays, according to market research.

The decision was also influenced by the majority of the community feedback gathered through the Long-Term Plan 2018-28 being in favour of introducing a rates-funded service, says the statement.

'The new service aligns with Council's Waste Management and Minimisation Plan and supports a circular economy.”

The collections will also result in fewer trucks on residential streets on collection days, and fewer car trips to the transfer station, particularly for recycling, says the statement.

Council's rubbish bag collection will stop when the new service begins, however, the transfer stations will continue to operate.

For the first year, all households will be provided with a 140L rubbish bin, a 240L recycling bin and a 23L food scrap bin to add to their existing 45L glass recycling crate.

After the first year of the service, ratepayers can select from different sized rubbish and recycling bins to suit their particular household needs – with reduced rates for smaller bins and increased rates for larger bins.

General manager of infrastructure Nic Johansson says 'We've heard from the community that a ‘one-size-fits-all' service isn't preferred and that there's a strong desire for an incentive for households to reduce their overall waste.

'That's why we've landed on having different size bins for rubbish and recycling. However, we've learnt from other councils that it's best to keep the roll-out as simple as possible, so we've opted to use a standard bin size and cost for rubbish and recycling for the first year. Then, once the community has got used to the new service, we can start incentivising households to reduce their waste through the choice of smaller/cheaper bins for rubbish and recycling.”

The council is partnering with EnviroWaste to provide the kerbside collections. Western Bay of Plenty District Council is also partnering with EnviroWaste to introduce kerbside waste collections, but with a ‘pay-as-you-throw' rubbish collection service rather than a rates-funded service.

The Tauranga City Council-led kerbside waste collections will commence on 1 July 2021.

You may also like....

22 comments

Something not right here

Posted on 22-09-2020 19:27 | By RJP

$515 per year Dont know where the Council gets this from Try $175 for 120ltrGeneral rubbish and $305 for 120ltr combo (rubbish and green waste emptied fortnightly, Someone in the council exaggerating there numbers AGAIN


I Loose, again !

Posted on 23-09-2020 01:12 | By sambro

So there goes my freedom of choice again Council! 3 bins to hide 'somewhere' on my tiny section. My back section is on a downhill slope and I'll have to push 3 bins up the incline. Usually, I'd just put my rubbish bag in the car, drive up and leave it on the curb, easy. I am elderly and physically challenged. Is the council going to get the refuse people to come down my driveway and empty my bins? Or should I just keep my mouth shut, pay your exorbitant $230 P.A and do the work myself like take my stuff to the transfer station (it's on the flat) and keep those people in a job, oh and thanks for listening to YOUR rate payers again, NOT.


Honesty

Posted on 23-09-2020 02:29 | By sambro

This refuse issue isn't COVID it's covert, "a thicket in which game can hide."


Just stupid

Posted on 23-09-2020 03:42 | By gottabekidding

Dunno where they get 550 average from mine is $330 240 rubbish and 240 recycling. To not offer additional rubbish bag service is stupid how is a family of 4 with baby's going to survive with a 140l pickup fortnightly? Just going to create more rubbish dumping around town, well done putting the other company's and workers out of business tcc, surely there was a better way.. not your lively hoods being ruined is it!


Simple?

Posted on 23-09-2020 08:26 | By Slim Shady

Why can’t I choose my bin size for Year 1? I don’t need to be ‘incentivised’ to go smaller in Year 2. I’m not stupid. I can go smaller now and have a cheaper one please. It’s not rocket science. Another example of dumbed down policy to cater for dumb people. Those that know what size bin they need have to pay extra in Year 1 until the dummies have figured it out.


Not flexible enough!

Posted on 23-09-2020 11:25 | By WestieMum

So now I'm going to be charged via my rates for something I don't need - like a food scraps bin - my worms get those! I prefer to take my recycling to the transfer station when I take my household rubbish is minimal, but I'm still going to be stung the same amount as everyone else!!?? My pensioner Dad suspends his collections when he's away - bet he can't do that now!? Seriously need an opt in/out ability - like opt out of the library charges that are in my rates, for a library that I never use.... USER PAYS, don't sting everyone! Not happy about this....


bins

Posted on 23-09-2020 14:15 | By dumbkof2

why can't this council do what the ratepayers want for a change. i don't want 4 bins cluttering up my place when i only need one. since they brought in the glass bins i have put mine out once. note what is the charge going to be in the second year. is there some way we can deduct the unwanted charges from our rates bill. lets see mr bridges give us some ideas on that


Tom Ranger

Posted on 23-09-2020 14:40 | By Tom Ranger

Another rubbish decision from TCC on coerced survey numbers. Let's face it. We all knew they were going to do it no matter what. I wonder which collection company will get the lucrative contract...I wonder how much the price will increase each year, now that it has been hidden amongst our rates.


Biweekly???

Posted on 23-09-2020 17:59 | By myview

To say it's crazy to only have our rubbish collected only fortnightly is an understatement. We're a 2 person household and fill our bin pretty much full weekly,


Just Pay and have NO Say

Posted on 23-09-2020 19:05 | By Lvdw

You are kidding? Can ANYONE explain what the heck our esteemed council is doing? They are so far out of touch with what their employers, yes US, want, its not even funny anymore. We are a household of 3 and dont pay NEAR that amount, do our own composting as well. Now we must pay and have no say! again. oh and again, and again. should I say again?


Nice

Posted on 23-09-2020 19:45 | By Informed

Way cheaper than what we currently have. Happy camper. And less bloody trucks driving round the city.


What a rort

Posted on 23-09-2020 19:55 | By Johnney

Probably about 40% of homes are either retired people with one or two occupants or holiday homes. How are they charging apartment blocks? Sure a block of 50 apartments aren’t going to have 200 bins. Another balls up by council not listening to the ratepayers and we are now locked in for 8 years. Unbelievable. As they say there is money in muck.


Another Cost

Posted on 24-09-2020 09:26 | By Brian Porter

And they represent us, why were we not consulted, so far have only read one positive comment. And where the hell did, they get this figure from. we are a couple off retires, probably would on average fill a bag every couple of weeks, recycle and compost what we can. Same as the glass bin, not needed, put it out about half a dozen times a year.


Tom Ranger

Posted on 25-09-2020 09:29 | By Tom Ranger

@Brian Porter They sent out a survey with questions which were obviously designed to make anyone who filled it out appear like they were in support of the changes and it read very much like We are getting public feedback on the proposal...so...What sort of service would you like? 1,2,3,4 etc...


Hopeful

Posted on 25-09-2020 11:06 | By Kancho

Well I am hopeful. Rationalising the collection with less trucks is an obvious start , I lose count of the different trucks in a small subdivision. I think council are starting the process and yes it won't suit everyone in the first year but a clean break was necessary to reset . The following year will be more options to go to smaller bins etc. I am hopeful this reorganization will keep cost under control and people also more aware of their output of rubbish. Guess we shall see. No point grizzling counter productive and the system will adapt so let's see first


bins

Posted on 25-09-2020 11:32 | By dumbkof2

seems like the comments are about 9 to 1 against these bins from council. would love to see the actual responce and survey results papers. something dosn't seem right somewhere


A decade of this.

Posted on 25-09-2020 12:38 | By Foxy1

Council seems to have omitted in it’s press release that this contract with a Chines company is for 10 years. No doubt there will be a good price rise each year - to which we will have no redress.


Dear Council

Posted on 25-09-2020 18:26 | By Slim Shady

Send me the bin size I want and need. Don’t charge me over the top for a huge bin I don’t need. That is called a racket. Unavoidable extortion. It’s a crime.


The real problem here...

Posted on 26-09-2020 18:06 | By morepork

...is that there are no options. And we all know the costs will increase as time passes. I pay much less than this for a private company who do an excellent job and I don't want to drop them, but I have no choice. Abolishing Council bags which can be used for occasional excess is a very stupid move, but then, perhaps I'm stupid for expecting anything more than stupidity from TCC. It'll all change when we get a Morepork for Mayor... :-)


No bins for me!

Posted on 26-09-2020 18:37 | By Equality

I don't want the bins - do not need the bins - will not use the bins - will be returning them to TCC for a refund!!!


Always thinking

Posted on 28-09-2020 15:10 | By Cath Lane

Struggling to make sense of having new system forced upon me. I am already paying for a recycling bin that's never been needed or used. I will now have to figure out where to store this next lot ! Just me at my house. I put a rubbish bag out every 5 or 6 weeks. Fruit and veg scraps go into garden waste bin and is emptied fortnightly. A recycling trip every couple of months takes care of the rest. I do not need 12 months to be incentivised - it's already happening


Council take note!

Posted on 06-10-2020 11:31 | By Karenlk

TCC - just have to read the feedback to see that no one wants this! Repeat of the blue bin, so many of us forced to pay for a service we never use. Many residents drop off and sort their own glass at the refuse centre. I am downsizing and moving into a townhouse, not sure where I'm going to put my "compulsory 4 bins".


Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.