THE State Government is expected to pocket around $500,000 from councils, commercial and private users of the Caroline Landfill following an unexpected increase to the solid waste levy.
Mount Gambier City Council’s expense toward the increase is foreshadowed to sit at $60,000 for this financial year, with only a small portion of the city’s waste making it to landfill.
Last week’s State Budget announced a 40pc increase in the levy, leaving councils around the state in shock and frustration ahead of the adoption of their annual budgets.
The levy will see solid waste prices increase from $50 per tonne to $70 as of early next year.
According to City Council’s infrastructure manager Nick Serle, the levy increase may result in an increase to Caroline Landfill gate fees, as well as Waste Transfer Station fees.
“Caroline Landfill is operated by City Council, yet it is also utilised by other private companies and councils who may see an estimated $20 per tonne increase in landfill gate fees,” Mr Serle said.
“Mount Gambier community members may also see a fee increase at the Waste Transfer Station yet this all depends on if City Council pass the expenses onto other users of the landfill.”
With expected increases to be released later this year, Mr Serle said council is essentially “passing on the State Government levy”.
“The free drop off centre will continue to be free,” he said.
“This includes things for recycling and for the ReUse Market.
“The only thing that will be affected will be rubbish heading to Caroline Landfill.”
City Council chief executive Andrew Meddle said the local governing body will not be increasing its rates, which are set at 4.5pc over its long term financial plan, but will investigate increasing fees at the landfill or transfer station.
“We are getting slugged with this increase,” Mr Meddle said.
Mr Meddle also said there are “two philosophical camps” which are to be considered by elected members when discussing the levy increase, which they are expected to do in the near future.
“One is that we have to reduce our waste as much as we can and show that we are reducing expenditure,” he said.
“The second group of local governing bodies is just putting it out there that it is a State Government decision and not theirs.”
Mr Meddle said council must “unpack the ideology” of what goes to the local landfill.
“We need to ask whether that will be a very limited amount of waste into the landfill or do we allow more companies to come and use it,” Mr Meddle said.
“The biggest challenge with the latter is the landfill will fill up quicker which will cause us to build more cells more often.”
Another avenue Mr Meddle said will be considered by council is to expand on the green waste bin service, allowing residents to lessen their household rubbish.
