RESIDENTS are being urged to rethink what goes into their wheelie bins as rising landfill costs place increasing pressure on Redland City Council waste charges.
Council says waste disposal is becoming one of the fastest-growing expenses faced by local governments, with limited landfill capacity across South East Queensland driving up transport, disposal and waste levy costs.
A significant contributor to the problem is the amount of recyclable and compostable material ending up in general waste bins.
Council estimates kerbside waste bins contain approximately 65 per cent recyclable or compostable material, including green waste, which could otherwise be diverted from landfill.
Unlike recycling and green waste, which can be recovered and reused, mixed general waste is compacted and buried in landfill.
Because Redland City Council does not operate its own landfill, waste must be transported outside the city for disposal, adding further costs.
Council says those costs are ultimately reflected in the waste utility charge paid by households.
Council says residents can reduce future costs by cutting down on waste generation and ensuring materials are placed in the correct bins.
Educational programs, waste reduction initiatives and options to change bin sizes are available to help households get better value from their waste services.
Council says the system works best when residents actively separate recyclable and compostable materials from general waste, both at the kerbside and when visiting Recycling and Waste Centres.
