Media Response: Domestic Waste Charge

Questions and Answers

A snapshot survey of local councils has found Melville's waste management fee rise this year among the highest in the metropolitan area. Could you please breakdown the $80 domestic waste fee into percentage for us:

- what percentage of the fee can be attributed to the fire?

- what percentage to the increase in the landfill levy?

- what percentage was due to the reduction in the sale price in recyclables?

Chief Executive Officer Dr Shayne Silcox said the impact of the fire, landfill levy and the reduced sale price for recyclables was factored into the total amount the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council (SMRC) and other waste material recovery/disposal facilities charge the City of Melville. “We are therefore unable to provide information on what proportion of the increased charges is due to each of these factors. However, we can provide the breakdown of costs to be incurred this financial year compared to the 2008/2009 financial year,” he said. (See attached complete breakdown of 2009/2010 costs compared to 2008/2009. Note that decimals have been rounded to the nearest dollar).

Why is the City of Melville's waste fee increase one of the highest in the metro area?

"The City of Melville starts from a higher base than many other local governments in the metropolitan area due to the environmentally-friendly approach it takes to processing waste. We could simply divert waste into landfill and deliver a cheaper service to ratepayers. However, the City of Melville and its residents want a greener outcome from the organisation’s operations. Therefore, the households’ waste is processed into compost – with a greater cost involved. Due to the City of Melville’s philosophical decision, there is fundamentally a difference in costs between it and many other local governments,” he said.

“The City of Melville also does not have any tip sites or transfer facilities. This means it is reliant on third parties and has extra distance to travel than many other local governments to transfer waste. Additionally, given the City has about 100,000 residents, it generates approximately 51,000 tonnes of rubbish a year,” he said.