Council slash bulk item tip fees for July after struggling to find a contractor for verge side collection

The City of Greater Geraldton have waived Meru tip fees for the month of July to encourage residents to dispose of their bulk waste after struggling to find a contractor to fulfil verge side rubbish collection. All options for verge side collection have been exhausted, leading the City to slash tip fees to encourage people to properly dispose of their waste rather than leaving it in public. The city re-worked the opportunity to fill the contract a number of times, with $650,000 allocated to bringing the services back in the 2022-23 budget. “Getting bulk verge side rubbish collection off the ground has been incredibly challenging, with City officers reworking the opportunity a number of times and ways to no avail,” Mayor Shane Van Styn said: “Our local operators don’t have the resources or capability right now, and slashing fees at Meru Landfill for all of July so that residents can take action is our solution to this.” Earlier this year, the council approved the reworking of the bulk verge side rubbish collection program by splitting it in two – presenting opportunity to collect residential green waste and/or bulk hard waste. The request for proposal was released in May to which zero submissions were received. “We are parking bulk verge side for the time being and moving forwards for our community, who I’m sure will be receptive of this alternative,” Mr Van Styn said. Mattresses and bulky items such as sofas will incur no charge along with car, four-wheel drive and motorcycle tyres with or without rims. Fees for these items usually span from $11-$21 each.