Presentations from Australia's leading Waste Conference, May 02 ~ 04 2017 held in Coffs Harbour, NSW.

1. Bathurst Food & Garden Waste Kerbside
Collection – The Importance of Stakeholder
Engagement

2. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
A joint waste collection tender project was initiated by
Netwaste in 2012 and culminated with the
commencement of a new food waste and organics
(FOGO) kerbside service in April 2016, along with dry
recyclables, and a continuing Council run municipal
waste collection.
• Introduction
• MOU
• Waste audits
• Grant funding – WLRM
• Educating staff / community / Council
• Media
• Rollout & customer service
• Data
• Old bins
• Complaints
• Lessons learnt
• Q&A

3. INTRODUCTION
• Existing 5 Netwaste member Council contract
successfully provided residual waste, plus recycling
collection, and processing services – contract was
approaching the end of it’s term
• Decision made to invite member Councils to
participate in a future contract
• Scope was expanded to include food waste and
garden organics

4. MOU – MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING
• Original 5 member Councils and 6 additional
member Councils decided to participate and
signed the MOU (2012-13)
• Bathurst, Blayney, Blue Mountains, Cabonne,
Cowra, Dubbo City, Forbes, Mid-Western,
Narromine, Parkes, Orange, Wellington
• Councils involved with the tender process
• Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne, Forbes, Orange &
Parkes
• 6 from original group participated past MOU stage

5. MOU – MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING
• Stakeholder engagement already began at this
early stage
• The benefits of this process:
• Tabled at Council and indicate Council’s intention
to participate in a tender process
• Give attention to procurement process
• Commit to the process and allow adequate
resourcing
• Elevate the importance of the contract
• Encourage sustainable waste practices

6. WASTE AUDITS
• Domestic kerbside waste audit completed April
2015 (one year out from contract start)
• Provided clear and straight forward information for
various stakeholders involved in the process
• Tips and lessons
• If you have the information get it out early
• Provide the basis of Council’s decision
• Why are we doing this - and these are the reasons

7. JHHDDD
Audit results Bathurst April 2015
(one year out from contract)

8. GRANT FUNDING - WLRM
• EPA grant funding was secured for the establishment of
a food & organics service
• This project was supported by the Environmental Trust as
part of the NSW EPA's Waste Less, Recycle More
initiative, funded from the waste levy
• Assisted in the purchase of kitchen caddies and MGBs
and to conduct audits and surveys
• Provided an educational component including delivery
of workshops and variety of other material in the start up
phase – calendars and waste stream information
• Milestone data submitted to EPA to form part of the
grant acquittal process
• Two way information flow with stake holders through
grant funding application and acquittal
• Lessened the cost impact on ratepayers

9. ENGAGEMENT – STAFF,
COMMUNITY, COUNCILLORS
• Various in house information sessions on how the new
service would work including; the process, bins, rollout,
collection, frequency, what goes in the new green bin,
complimenting existing services for $1 a day
• Tips and lessons
• Advantage of the one year lead
• Put out some good news about the new service
• Established two Councillor sessions so they were aware
of the collection, process of and the benefits
• Gave rise to the “inconvenience and cost” factor

10. ENGAGEMENT – STAFF,
COMMUNITY, COUNCILLORS
• Council engaged a consultant to run separate
information sessions for Council staff and the public
explaining the new three bin system and how it works
• 240 litre weekly FOGO – (bagless)
• Fortnightly dry recycling and weekly waste unchanged
• Tips and lessons
• Very beneficial to have the message clear and
understood on what the process is and how you are
going to do it – set up, roll out, collection
• No turning back
• Draw on your Community Advocates
• Have your replies ready with information to back up
• Letters, Face Book, Phone & E-mail

11. MEDIA – GOOD, BAD, UGLY
Sent from my iPhone

12. MEDIA

13. MEDIA

14. ROLL OUT AND CUSTOMER
SERVICE
• Roll out 28,000 new bins over a 4 week period by
Mastec (contractor)
• Pick up 14,000 old recycle bins over a 2 week
period, waste bin remain the same – there was
some confusion as some residents have the old
green lidded otto bin (not a red lid)
• Internal staff info sessions
• Customer service staff running at full
• Contractor liaison (Mastec > Council)
• Phone calls shared between hotline number and
Council
• On line roll out address portal – check rollout

15. New bin delivery has commenced
March 11, 2016

16. DATA
Data forms a critical issue in bin roll outs over a metro and
regional contract – issues experienced were:
• Physical / Postal ID does not match rated address
• New premises not in the data base (6 month lag)
• Vacant land charge still applied (over 100 properties)
• Rated database varied slightly to the physical property
• Strata properties not included however multiple residence
on singular block was = lots of investigative time
• 300 Strata properties
• Option for removal for strata plus certain dual occupancy
properties so could only have one green waste service
through rates
• Public housing over 50% removed from the original issue
• Later added and now included in the service

17. DATA

18. OLD RECYCLING BINS
Old bins were picked up over the following 2 weeks after
new bin rollout.
• Information sticker on new bin, dates to put out old bin
• 60-70% take up rate – done by the contractor
• 30-40% remaining residents refused to stop using them
• Old bins were left and not emptied (contract ended)
and then this produced further back lash again Council
• Council employed another contractor to remove a
further 800 bins over a 5 week period – cost approx
$10,000 to recover these bins
Council are still collecting old yellow recycling bins a over
year later after contract has started. Residents could keep
their old bin for personal use, or surrender it. Old bins are
currently resold for $5 each at the Bathurst landfill.

19. COMPLAINTS
Over the rollout period many complaints were made about the service. The main
issues were:
• Why should I pay for this?
• I don’t need it – why can’t I opt out
• Forced on the rate payer
• Complaining as it’s the right time
• Media assisted backlash
• Facebook – opportunity for maximum exposure
Once the rollout completed and the service started, a new range of issues were:
• The truck came today it was; too late, too early, too noisy, too many bins out
• Contamination (car batteries & syringes)
• Tips and lessons
Ensure your stake holder base has been covered
Council had previously developed a ready reckoner guide and this could be drawn
upon to assist customers and their issues

20. LESSONS LEARNT
• At least 2 years lead time is required to decide on what your Council
needs and understands what the service entails
• Make sure the Councillors are well briefed and understand the core
principals on what a new service entails and how it operates
• Use consultants if required to simplify and deliver service options to
your ratepayers and Councillors so the vision is clear
• Be prepared for changes in attitude from the public
• Have your initial waste audit survey data on the ready all the time
• Ready reckoner and core principal documents
• Internally audit your Council GIS address information prior to
supplying any data for rollout
• Use media as best you can with positive reasons for your new
service
• Get waste audits and surveys done early
• Revisit your Councillors – make sure they understand
• Be prepared for focus groups and non believers
• Stakeholders crave information so supply it
• Assign and reply written complaint and Face Book media posts
quickly

21. THANKYOU
One year on:
• Complaints have slowed and are limited
• Contamination in food & garden waste at less than
2%, has been below 0.5%
• Waste runs have stabilised with minimal disruption
• April 16 – February 2017 3479 tonnes FOGO diverted
from landfill, 2402 tonnes dry recyclables diverted
• Plastic bags are still an issue as a bag less system
• Education ongoing
• Another 3 stream waste audit completed awaiting
results
• QUESTIONS ?

22. The
Circular Economy
in the
Asia Pacific Region
www.keepasiabeautiful.org