Current situation
- Green bins are mandatory for all properties within the General Residential, Low Density, Rural Living, and Village zones as per the Tasmanian Planning Scheme land use zoning. These properties are generally in rural areas.
- The cost of the green bins is $47 per year which is added to the rates bill of all property owners within the designated zones.
- Green bins will include FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) from 1 July 2026.
What is the issue
- Due to the size of blocks, green waste needs differ significantly between urban and rural properties. On rural properties, the monthly volume of green waste (eg, fire-reduction fuel) is often far greater than what can be managed in a single wheelie bin.
- Rural residents have managed green waste for many years through established methods such as burning off, composting, and feeding food scraps to animals such as chickens.
- In a community survey in 2024, which I initiated, 100% of respondents living on properties larger than 2,000m² indicated they would like to opt out of the Green Waste Bin service.
My plan:
- Allow all properties that have an area of 2,000m² or larger to opt out of Green or FOGO wheelie bins.
The benefits
- Improved outcomes for rural residents.
- Stronger trust between rural residents and Council.
- Reduced contractor costs.