The newly adopted waste strategy is set to guide decision-making for the next 20 years. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
The Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) expansion is coming into focus on the horizon in south-east NSW as the council adopts a new waste strategy.
An amended Waste Management Strategy, which went out for public feedback last year, seeks to shape the region’s waste management until 2045.
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) meeting papers describe the updated document as “essentially a refresh” of its current form, which dates to 2021.
At a recent meeting, councillors unanimously voted to adopt the new strategy.
Councillor Katrina Willis said the document represented ”a step in the right direction” amid the need to balance various opportunities and limitations.
“It’s not easy, but I do think that the strategy is the right strategy for the times and challenges that we’re facing,” she said. ”As we go through those different actions, there will be an opportunity to keep talking to the community about what’s the best that we can do.”
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During the meeting, councillors were presented with a consultation report examining community feedback on the then-draft policy and its goals.
It found there were calls for better education around waste management and improved services for rural areas.
“Community feedback was found to align with actions included in the strategy, particularly in areas such as FOGO rollout review, local processing, rural service equity, contamination reduction, and education,” the document states.
“The feedback largely included areas for council to consider when implementing the strategy actions, as a number of the actions include a ‘review’ for services, for example the rollout of FOGO services in accordance with the NSW EPA mandate, bulky waste service, or utilisation of transfer stations.”
Under the NSW EPA mandate, FOGO collection services will need to be offered to the state’s households by July 2030, under State Government legislation. (Meanwhile, businesses and institutions need to implement the service in stages from July 2026.)
Meeting papers state that QPRC is planning a ”high-priority review” of an expanded FOGO service, including how these items could be processed locally.
“Feedback provided by the community will be used within that review to inform council of collection options considering the NSW Government’s FOGO mandate.”
The papers also say QPRC staff are currently modelling the cost of FOGO-related changes.
The draft Waste Management Strategy raised various goals around the council’s service delivery and waste management. Photo: Zoe Cartwright.
In particular, an online survey’s question about interest in a potential switch to a fortnightly general waste collection schedule for urban areas was heavily criticised.
Under the proposal, this would also come with a weekly FOGO collection.
The consultation report states that 84 per cent of respondents objected to the proposal, which was raised in an online survey, showing people’s “strong apprehension” towards the possibility.
During the meeting, Cr Bryce Wilson said the community feedback on the idea was clear.
“In the consultation, it was quite clear that people did want their bins collected once a week,” he said.
The Waste Management Strategy also suggests a review of the existing bulky waste collection service and bringing in a voucher system as possible opportunities for QPRC to pursue.
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Cr Willis also called on the council to focus on encouraging a renewable economy among residents and businesses.
“We can also look at trying to encourage people to think about those things when they’re looking for whatever they need, [about] how something can be repurposed,” she said.
“It happens now through social media and informal networks.
“Can we almost institutionalise it and save ourselves [money], save everybody money and reduce waste going to landfill?”
The Waste Management Strategy flags project stewardship schemes, expanded use of an app and education initiatives as possible ways this could be achieved.
The document suggests that opening hours for the waste transfer station could be amended in line with cost and service delivery concerns, with further community consultation expected on the issue.
Expanded-hours stations at Braidwood and Bungendore are suggested, along with the hiring of an additional full-time-equivalent employee to manage operations at the former.
