MILDURA residents have expressed dismay at waste fee hikes, while Mildura Council says they are needed to cover costs.
From July 1, residents will pay between $8 and $36.30 at the landfill gate to dispose of green waste, depending on the trailer size. It will cost $149.50 to dispose of one tonne of green waste.
The additional costs come as Mildura Council proposes to increase yearly waste management charges to residents by $12 a year from $434 to $446.
The waste management charge previously covered the cost of green waste disposal.
Mildura Council voted to charge fees for the disposal of green waste in April 2020, but decided to delay the charges until July 2021 due to concerns community members were struggling with the economic pain of the coronavirus pandemic.
The cost of processing the waste was estimated at the time of the decision to be between $200,000 and $300,000 per year.
Local residents vented their anger at the increased charges on social media.
A spokesperson for Mildura Council said the bulk of the waste management charge “covers the cost of landfill and transfer station operations, kerbside services, public litter bins, street sweeping, illegal dumping clean up, waste education and the rehabilitation and aftercare of our closed and operating landfills”.
“As a result, any changes to the waste management charge are largely tied to the cost of providing these services, rather than the reduction in green waste processing at Council’s landfills and transfer stations,” he said.
The increased cost of the waste management charge is included in the council’s draft budget, which is open for community feedback until June 16.
The cost of waste management in this year’s budget is expected to be $2.72 million, a $1.24 million increase on last year.
This year funds will be invested in a glass sorting and reprocessing facility, the rehabilitation of Mildura and Ouyen landfills, and the replacement of the weighbridge at Mildura landfill.
To provide feedback on the draft budget, email mrcc@mildura.vic.gov.au by June 16.
