Sydney Councils Are Planning Hikes On Bin Fees – Is Your Council One of Them?

Sydney residents will soon have something new to add onto their cost of living crisis, with all but three of the local councils in the Greater Sydney area planning a significant hike to the fees associated with picking up the household bin.

The changes to the residential domestic waste services fees are set to be introduced from July 1, and would see standard bin collection charges rise up to four times above the current inflation rate.

The largest increase comes from Lane Cove Council, who are lifting costs from $560.90 to $637.76 a year, for a total increase of $76.75 annually.

Local councils in NSW have the power to set domestic waste fees, charged on top of general rates bills, and meant to cover the costs that come with kerbside bin collections.

Councils have said the increases come in the wake of rising waste disposal costs, contracting price agreements, tipping and processing fees, and government levies.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, president of Local Government NSW Phyllis Miller said the fees were due to increases of the state government waste levy charged to councils for the disposal of waste at landfill.

“The levy charged to councils is horrendous, and the only way for councils to recoup that cost is through domestic waste management charges we charge households,” she said.

“Councils are not out to make a profit, but we have to be able to recover the costs of delivering our services.”

“Urgent action” needed to prevent waste mismanagement 

Alongside increased levys, a shortage of waste processing capacity across the state and the financial outlays associated with the recently expanded collection of organic food waste are also contributing to steeper waste collection fees.

Last November, the state government revealed landfill space could run out in a little as five years. The issue would significantly drive waste management costs up for households and businesses, with NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe calling for “urgent action”.

“Sydney is running out of landfill space and our recycling rates have stagnated,” she said. “We are at a point that if we don’t take urgent action, our red bins won’t be able to be collected in a few years.”

“Not all the decisions we need to make will be easy or even popular – but I’d rather make the hard decisions than have bins that can’t be collected.”

Other councils looking to raise their bin collection fees include the Inner West Council, with a proposed $40 increase, and Randwick Council, which proposes a $41.40 increase.

However, not all councils are planning to lift their fees above inflation, with Canterbury-Bankstown and Waverly councils both planning to keep their current waste charges, while Georges River Council are proposing a $13 decrease.