MORE than 55,000 Ipswich households will soon receive their free garden organics (GO) green bin.
The bins will join the more than 30,000 existing household GO bins in the move from a standard two-bin system to a three-bin scheme.
Many households would receive their free bin ahead of collections for the new three-bin service beginning on July 1
“Most residents don’t realise the Government charges councils a waste levy for each tonne of waste sent to landfill, so the more waste we divert from landfill, the more savings we create for Ipswich ratepayers,” Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said.
“Not only will a three-bin service reduce costs for ratepayers, but it is also a win for our environment as we divert thousands of tonnes of waste from landfill each year.”
The new scheme is forecast to recover between 15,000 and 20,000 additional tonnes of green waste in the coming financial year.
“Operating a three-bin system will be about $10 cheaper per household than maintaining the current two-bin system,” Cr Harding said.
“In 2025-2026, the levy on councils is $125 per tonne, and that figure will rise to $135 in 2026-2027 and to $145 the year after that.
“At the same time, the rebate provided to councils that has previously offset the waste levy will also start decreasing.
“Recovering this additional green waste will save Ipswich ratepayers approximately $1 million in 2025-2026, as the net benefit between waste levy savings and service costs.”
Those households with an existing green bin will have their existing opt-in charge of $80 removed when the new service begins.
A small percentage of properties, such as units, will not be included in the rollout and council will discuss alternative solutions with them.
