A REVIEW of Bathurst’s garbage collection service could see all households issued a separate bin for food scraps.
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Bathurst Regional Council is in negotiations with provider NetWaste about new garbage collection contracts and the idea of a third bin will be discussed.
But water and waste manager Russell Deans has quashed fears that the existing weekly general garbage collection could be scaled back to once a fortnight.
The reassurance came following concerns by Orange residents that their rubbish service could be pushed back to every second week.
Contracts for the provision of waste services in both cities are due to expire in April 2016, with negotiations well underway with NetWaste.
“We’ll continue to have council collect the rubbish bins every week,” Mr Deans said.
Also under the review is Bathurst’s recycling service and Mr Deans said a third bin – for food and garbage waste – could be introduced.
He said the introduction of the third bin should reduce the amount of recyclable material that ends up in general waste bins.
“Food and garden waste makes up a substantial amount of garbage waste ... in spring it could make up half of the garbage waste,” he said.
If a food and garden waste bin is introduced, Mr Deans said the additional cost will be factored into rates for each resident.
Mr Deans said negotiations between Orange and Bathurst councils and NetWaste are completely separate, and changes, if any, will not be across the board.
Bathurst resident Harry Chamberlain said if the service was changed to fortnightly it would lead to more people dumping rubbish elsewhere.
“Any household with two or three people would easily fill up that bin within a week,” he said.
“It would lead to people dumping rubbish or including their rubbish with their recycling just to get rid of it.
“I can understand where they’re [council] coming from, it would reduce the amount of labour needed to pick up the bins.”
The final decision on possible changes to Bathurst’s waste collection services will be made in the next month or so.
From there, council will then commence a 12-month education campaign before any changes are introduced in April 2016.
