Changes planned for Lake Mac bulk waste service

Published on 30 March 2022

Lake Macquarie residents will get to choose the date of their twice-yearly bulk waste collections under proposed changes to the service to be introduced in 2023.

Council is seeking feedback on the bulk waste overhaul, which would bring it into line with other NSW councils and provide a more flexible collection system.

Manager Waste Services Paul Collins said the proposed new system meant residents could get rid of their bulk waste when they needed to.

“Whether it’s home renovations, spring cleaning or moving house, there are many occasions where people would rather have bulk waste collected at a time convenient to them,” he said.

“Every resident gets to make their own choice based on what best suits their needs.”

Under the proposed new system, each household will still be able to dispose of the same two cubic metres of bulk waste twice a year.

However, rather than a scheduled kerbside pick-up for everyone in a suburb, residents will book their collections for dates that suit them.

Alternatively, they will be able to get up to two vouchers a year to drop the same amount of waste – equivalent to a box trailer-load per voucher – at the Awaba Waste Management Facility.

Residents will also be able to redeem both their biannual entitlements at once, meaning they can dispose of up to four cubic metres of bulk waste in one go if needed.

Mr Collins said the proposed new system would significantly reduce the total amount of bulk waste going to landfill each year.

“This will enable us to implement bulk waste reuse and additional resource recovery initiatives,” he said.

“It will also reduce overall collection costs. We estimate it will save an average $500,000 a year over the next 10 years.”

Bulk waste in Lake Macquarie is collected in separate streams and picked up separately, with green waste turned into mulch and compost, e-waste dismantled and recycled where possible and mattresses also recycled.

In 2020-2021, Council collected 11,222 tonnes of bulk waste that went to landfill, and 1450 tonnes that were recycled.

Mr Collins said the community consultation period, open until 18 April, would help fine-tune the proposed changes.

“We’re asking the community to provide feedback about how they currently use the bulk waste service, how they might use the service in future, and what some of their other waste disposal and recycling habits are,” he said.

Go to shape.lakemac.com.au/bulk-waste to have your say.

The proposed changes will not affect Council’s kerbside three-bin waste collection system