Forbes Shire Council is asking people to look at what can go in their new green organics bin before bagging the shift to fortnightly red bin collection.
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Forbes residents were delivered new bins this week and there has been an online reaction to the news that the red-lid or general waste bin will only be collected every second week.
More than 600 people have joined a Facebook group saying “thumbs down” to the change.
Mayor Phyllis Miller says it’s not just Forbes that’s cutting back on rubbish: the cost of landfill is rising and everyone needs to change their habits.
Metropolitan, Hunter and Illawarra councils are paying a state waste levy - $76 a tonne - and regional councils are hoping not to have the same cost imposed on local ratepayers.
“We need to try to divert waste away from landfill,” Mayor Miller said.
“Everything is licensed, there are rules and regulations and it’s costly to run tips.”
The Daroobalgie tip will need expansion within 10 years.
Mayor Miller said she was amazed by what could go in the green-lid organics bins.
“All your fish, fish and meat bones, meat raw or cooked as well as shellfish waste go in your green bin, which is collected weekly,” she said.
Members of the “thumbs down to Forbes new bin collection” group are most concerned about families with young children having bins full of dirty nappies sitting around for a full fortnight, especially in summer.
“This system will not work for my family of seven,” a member wrote.
“We already fill our recycling bin in a week and our red bin is overflowing almost every week.
“We have chooks and our own compost … I’ve read the explanations but fortnightly collection of the red bin won’t work for us.”
Council is urging people to try it.
“We are all in this, learning together,” Mayor Miller said.
“I’m a bit nervous, I have grandchildren in nappies, but we need to try this.
“If there are serious problems, we want to hear from people. Come and see us (council) and we will find a fix.”
Opponents of fortnightly red bin collection were heartened by Orange City Council’s decision to keep weekly collection but Forbes Shire Council says it’s a different scenario in Forbes.
“We heard the figures of the cost of weekly collection in Orange, that’s the economy of scale of a city of 40,000 - 50,000 people,” Mayor Miller said.
“We don’t get that economy of scale.
“It also helps that the tip is close to them.
“Our green bins go to Blayney, our yellow bins go to Orange and then on to Sydney. That adds to the cost.”
Cr Miller said Council was aware of the impact on large families and those with children in nappies.
“In other areas the red bins have been reduced to 140L, we kept the 240L bin because we know there are large families,” she said.
Council’s director of environment services Paul Bennett said parents should double-bag nappies and keep the bin in the shade.
“Studies have been done and if nappies have been double-bagged the smell is not much different between one or two weeks,” he said.
