Tom Cooper: Innovation in waste management is funded through the environmental waste levy we all pay in dump fees. The Return & Earn scheme has been a great success but communities under 500 people are not allocated a scanner. The solution: have a mobile Return & Earn similar to mobile libraries to visit our villages, local shows and sporting events saving residents’ trips to recycling centres and keeping the money local.
Vickie Steward: Most households have “soft plastics” to dispose of like chip and biscuit packets and bread bags. I would encourage Kyogle IGA to become active in REDcycle’s initiative to recycle soft plastics and keep them from landfill. Rural landowners should be able to dispose of their household waste regularly at a waste facility until they reach their 300kg voucher limit.
John Burley: Improve recycling and waste to energy by working as a region with the NE waste -Regional Waste Management programs and initiatives. Educate the community to increase recycling, less waste-less landfill. Remove EPA levy, state tax which is about $250,000 a year. Lobby governments to make business manufacture packaging that is completely recyclable .
Simon Dejoux: We need to actively lobby the state government to remove the unfair waste levy. 86% of all revenue collected is retained by the state government rather than being returned to councils. Council can encourage and support initiatives to recycle through its community recycling centres and initiatives such as the tip shop and getting the “return and earn” facilities out to villages.
Rob Cullen: Council has an environment committee and has started to investigate solutions to waste management. I intend to support this. I’m passionate about it. Education, information and incentives are the key to efficient recycling and waste management. We will need to pressure state and federal Governments to reduce fees and charges for operation of land fill. REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE.
Danielle Mulholland: Kyogle needs to be removed from those areas subject to the waste levy. Councils that generate more than 5000 tonnes of waste should be subject to the levy. Kyogle Council generates less than 3000 tons of waste.
James Murray: I am not fully conversant on the waste issues but Kyogle council has recently completed an upgrade to its Kyogle Landfill. Not sure where waste from outlying tips ends up but am opposed to it being burnt if facility is built at Casino
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