Wheelie bins will soon become the chosen method for kerbside recycling and rubbish collection after Council’s Assets and Services Committee gave the new proposal the go ahead.

Assets and Services Committee Chairperson, Councillor David Croad said the consultation process at the end of last year showed that 76 per cent of those who made a submission supported the move to wheelie bins and expanding the kerbside collection area. “This is a telling result and gives Council a clear signal that the community is ready to utilise this new and improved service,” he said.

As a member of the panel who heard submissions at the end of last year, Councillor Croad said a few changes have been made to the original proposal taking on board feedback from the community.

“The panel received 459 submissions which were assessed and summarised. Suggestions received from the community during that time have been worked into the final recommendation that was approved by the committee,” he said.

These include offering different size wheelie bins. Initially households were to be given two 140-litre bins, one for rubbish and one for recycling, to be collected on alternate weeks. Households would also get a separate 55-litre crate for glass which would be emptied fortnightly. However, following feedback, Council will look to offer residents a low (80-litre), standard (140-litre) or high (240-litre) volume wheelie bin option, each at a different cost.

Councillor Croad said it is important to recognise that people in our community have different circumstances. “A large family might require a 240-litre bin where as an elderly person might only need a smaller 80-litre bin which would be easier for them to take out to the kerbside for collection,” he said.

The Panel has also taken on board feedback from communities throughout Marlborough like those in Okiwi Bay and Duncan Bay who would prefer a revamp of the existing Rai Valley transfer station rather than the establishment of remote transfer stations in their Bays. Wairau Valley and Ward signalled they would prefer to continue to use their local transfer stations instead of being part of the proposed kerbside collection.

“Feedback from Ward and Wairau Valley advised the panel that the logistics of getting a wheelie bin to the gate of a rural property would be impractical,” Clr Croad said.

“The change to recycling and rubbish collection is a big decision for our region with the contract worth circa $30 million. It is one of the biggest contracts aside from roading and therefore it is important to ensure the right service is provided. I’m pleased we have made these changes to the original proposal that will benefit the users of the new service,” Clr Croad said.

“This is a big change and it won’t happen overnight - there is a lot of work required to finalise the new contract, roll the bins out to the community, confirm the new kerbside collection area and the locations and requirements of the new remote transfer stations, and ensure the new trucks are ready to go but in the meantime we have a new recycling and rubbish collection system to look forward to,” he said.

If ratified by full Council on Thursday 2 March, the new wheelie bin contract is expected to begin on 1 July 2024.

For more information on the wheelie bin roll out and establishment of remote transfer stations visit: www.marlborough.govt.nz/services/refuse/community-consultation-waste-services

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