Bungled bin roll out

by Courtney O'Brien
Baw Baw Shire Council has been accused of bungling the latest bin roll out with more than 5000 residents signing a petition to reinstate weekly red bin collections.

Almost 500 people hotly debated the issue on The Gazette's social media page last week and more than 1100 interacted with the post.
Scrambling to put measures in place to address the community outrage at the sudden and inadequate changes, council announced the introduction of a Special Consideration Program (SCP).
While details are still being finalised, council stated some households would be eligible for a free, additional 120 litre general rubbish bin.
This may include households that create additional waste from a medical condition and/or disability, have two (or more) children under four in nappies and/or large family, experiencing financial hardship.
"For those who may not qualify for the scheme, an additional 120 litre bin for general rubbish is $100, per year," said infrastructure and environment services director James Robinson.
This would increase the total charges for waste to $680 per year for those households not eligible under the scheme.
Council was advised in 2019 that introduction of the Food and Garden Organics system (FOGO) alongside a reduction of the general waste collection to fortnightly may mean council would have to "address challenges faced by larger families (e.g. provide bigger/multiple bins)."
The study was undertaken by Resource Recovery Gippsland (RRG) on behalf of council and is detailed in council's Waste Management Plan 2021-2025.
While council previously stated the FOGO system would reduce general waste by 53 per cent, the RRG analysis put the figure at 36 per cent. Council has not provided details or evidence of its waste analysis
RRG also found that in 2018-19, Baw Baw was already achieving a diversion of waste from landfill at a rate of 53 per cent, which was the second highest in Gippsland and about 10 per cent higher than the state average.
Despite the recent massive overhauls to ratepayers' waste services, council has not updated its Waste Management Plan, which ended in 2025. Council plans to revise its Waste Management Plan this year.
The Gazette has continued to ask council the difference in costs between a weekly and fortnightly red bin service but council has been unable to advise the costings.
"At this stage, council cannot provide the community with an exact figure and will continue to work through the costings of this," Mr Robinson said.
Council also failed to advise of a plan or strategy to manage sanitation issues that may arise in the community, because of the fortnightly pick up, or illegally dumped garbage.
In just six years, the cost to council for illegally dumped material has tripled.
In 2025/26 council spent $114,000 on managing illegally dumped waste compared to about $38,000 in 2018-19.
Council reiterated there was free recycling for soft plastics, textiles, and polystyrene at council's four transfer stations and they hade a "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" rebate available.
Residents living outside of the waste service area (mostly townships) can opt out of council's waste service, however, those within the serviceable area are required to have a council waste service.