Waste collection changes
Lismore City Council is implementing changes to services that will deliver a more cost-efficient and sustainable waste operation in 2024-25.
More than two thirds of Lismore residents will not be affected by these service level changes, as neither the standard ‘Integrated’ nor 'Waste Plus’ waste collection service is changing.
Affected households will receive a letter outlining the changes to their current service and any action required.
Residents who are impacted by the service level changes will receive a letter from the first week of July 2024 outlining key information about how their new service will operate. This letter will outline any changes to bin sizes if applicable.
Changes to waste collection services will be implemented from 12 August 2024. Detailed information about what is happening can be found in the Questions and Answers below.
An outline of the revised services and associated rates is provided here.
Questions and Answers
Changes to waste collection services
What is happening?
Lismore City Council is implementing changes to waste collection services to deliver cost-efficient and sustainable operations for our community.
More than two thirds of Lismore residents will not be affected by these service level changes, as neither the standard ‘Integrated’ nor 'Waste Plus’ waste collection service is changing. Therefore, most households will not see any change to their service as a part of this adjustment.
Some service routes will move from a weekly or monthly collection to fortnightly collection. In some cases, bin sizes will be adjusted.
An outline of the revised services is provided here.
Affected households will receive a letter outlining the changes to their current service and any action required.
Residents who are affected by the service level changes will receive a letter from the first week of July 2024 outlining key information about how their new service will operate. This letter will outline any changes to bin sizes if applicable.
Prior to 19 July 2024, residents are encouraged to compare their current waste collection service against other waste collection service options to determine what the best option may be for your circumstance.
You can access an overview of service options here.
You can make changes to you service by contacting Council directly on 02 6625 0500.
Those who update their service before 19 July 2024 will see the adjusted charges reflected in their Annual Rates notice. The requested changes to your service will then be implemented from 12 August 2024.
Implementation of service changes will take place from Monday 12 August. We appreciate your patience and understanding while we work through implementing changes to these services.
Why are the services changing?
A waste services review was completed in 2023-2024, to review the waste operating model. This review identified the need to improve service delivery methods and practices to reduce excessive and unnecessary operational costs.
The review also highlighted that Council’s collection and disposal fees for waste were significantly lower than industry benchmarks and determined that Council has been subsidising the cost of disposing waste generated by our community.
A four-year improvement pathway was developed and endorsed by Councillors for Lismore City Council. This plan set the actions required to bring waste services into an efficient, effective, compliant and sustainable operating model.
The purpose of the changes is to address long-standing unsustainable practices for Lismore’s waste collection and disposal. The updated service offerings are aimed at ensuring the long-term viability of our waste collection services.
A full list of service options and associated rates can be found here.
Will all residents be impacted by these changes?
No, almost two thirds of residents will not be affected. The changes will only affect specific collection service options. Affected households will receive a letter from the first week of July outlining the changes to their selected waste collection service and the action required.
Residents who currently receive a standard ‘Integrated’ or ‘Waste Plus’ waste collection service will not be affected by these service level changes.
Residents who receive the following waste collection services will be impacted:
- Integrated - Premium;
- Integrated - Urban Half;
- Rural;
- Rural Half;
- Rural Village; and
- Rural Village Half.
Will businesses be impacted?
Some businesses may be affected by upcoming changes to commercial waste service collections. Impacted business customers will be communicated to directly by the end of July 2024.
What do I need to do?
From the first week of July, impacted households will receive a letter outlining the changes to their selected waste collection service and the action required. Please read this letter carefully and note the dates that your service will change. Changes will be implemented from 12 August.
If your bin size is changing, new bins will be delivered on the same day your bins are emptied. On that day, you will be asked to please leave your empty bin kerbside to allow for the changeover. The changeover should occur within 24 hours of your bin collection. If for some reason your bin is not changed, please leave your bin out until the changeover is complete.
Bin sizes will change for the following services:
- Integrated - Urban Half;
- Rural Half; and
- Rural Village Half.
Residents who are currently subscribed to a Premium service will receive an additional Waste (Red) bin on the weekend commencing Friday, 9 August.
Prior to 19 July 2024, residents are encouraged to compare the various waste collection service options available here.
You can make changes to your service by contacting Council directly on 02 6625 0500. Those who update their service by 19 July 2024 will see the adjusted charges reflecting in their Annual Rates notice. The requested changes to your service will then be implemented from 12 August 2024.
When will my new service start?
All affected residents will receive a letter outlining the changes to their service in the first week of July. This will include the date and type of change. The changes to services will be implemented between Monday, 12 August and Friday, 23 August.
When will I receive my new bins?
All affected residents will receive a letter outlining the changes to their service in the first week of July. This will include the date and type of change. The changes to services will be implemented between Monday, 12 August and Friday, 23 August.
If your bin size is changing, new bins will be delivered on the same day your bins are emptied. On that day, you will be asked to please leave your empty bin kerbside to allow for the changeover. The changeover should occur within 24 hours of your bin collection. Please leave your empty bin kerbside until the changeover has been completed.
Residents who are currently subscribed to a Premium service will receive an additional Waste (Red) bin on the weekend commencing Friday, 9 August.
You will be able to check your updated service on Council’s ‘
What’s My Bin Day’ online tool from Saturday, 10 August.
Can I change my service?
Residents are encouraged to compare the various waste collection service options available
here. You can make changes to your service by contacting Council directly on
02 6625 0500. Those who update their service before 19 July 2024 will see the adjusted charges reflected in their Annual Rates notice.
If I change my service, what happens to my rates?
Changes to your waste service can occur at any time, however if they are changed before 19 July, your upcoming Annual Rates notice will reflect the change in service.
Changes to your waste service after 19 July but before 31 August and if you are downgrading or cancelling, will result in an amended Rates notice with a pro rata adjustment in late October 2024.
Changes to your waste service after 19 July, and if you are upgrading or requesting a new service, will activate a pro rata adjustment and a new Rates notice will be issued in late October, January or April (depending on when the request is received).
If a waste service is cancelled after 31 August, there will be no adjustment to the rates payable for that financial year. That means, the service can be cancelled, but there will be no change in fees paid for the 2024/25 period.
Who is paying for the new bins?
Lismore City Council will be providing any new bins required free of charge as part of this service change.
What happens if my monthly bin cycle does not fall within the 12-23 August period?
Where a monthly bin cycle does not fall within the 12-23 August period, the bin will be collected and changed over the next time the bin is placed kerbside.
Please place your bin kerbside on the dates shown in the letter from Council. Council will collect your bins on the date shown and your new bins will be delivered. Your service will be collected fortnightly from this date.
Will Council still collect missed bins?
Yes. We understand there may be some disruption through the transition period and people will be adjusting to a new bin cycle. Therefore, in the early stages of these changes, Council will be flexible in picking up missed bins.
Changes to waste collection fees
Why are the Waste fees increasing?
Lismore City Council has a mandate and is responsible to our community for operating a financially sustainable business.
A recent and comprehensive Waste Service Review aimed at identifying efficiencies for more prudent and responsible operations, determined that Council has been subsidising the cost of disposing waste generated by our community.
This review also highlighted that Council’s collection and disposal fees for waste were significantly lower than industry benchmarks including our neighbouring councils and not in line with Council Policy.
The purpose of the change is to address these long-standing unsustainable practices for Lismore’s waste collection and disposal.
While Council has been undercharging for most services, the distribution of fees across the various service offerings also did not reflect the cost to provide the service and the review identified a more appropriate alignment of fees against each service option.
The realignment of fees makes Lismore City Council comparable with our neighbouring councils.
The full list of service options and associated rates can be found
here.
What is the Waste Levy?
As a result of the natural disasters of February and March 2022 and the subsequent damage to Council’s waste cell, Council has been required to transport waste off site to other facilities. This has resulted in Council incurring significant additional operational costs. It is anticipated that this will continue during 2024/25 until the local cell becomes operational. To offset the increased operational costs, Council will charge a waste levy of $75.00 per assessment for the 2024/25 year. The Levy applies to all rateable properties receiving a waste service, in addition to the annual rate for that service.
To minimise the impact on ratepayers of current fee changes and the Waste Levy, Council will continue to waive the waste minimisation charge of $65 for 2024/25.
What is the Waste Minimisation Charge?
To minimise the impact on ratepayers of current fee changes and the Waste Levy, Council will not impose the Waste Minimisation Charge for 2024/25.
Waste Minimisation is usually applicable to all rateable properties except for those rateable properties paying the Nimbin Transfer Station. This charge is for the provision of recycling services, waste strategy and policy development, other waste reduction programs,
waste education services and
resource recovery waste vouchers. These services will still be provided by Council even though the Waste Minimisation Charge is not being collected.
How does Lismore City Council’s waste collection charges compare with neighbouring regions?
A thorough review of the city’s waste collection and disposal services has identified that Lismore City Council’s collection and disposal fees for waste were significantly lower than neighbouring councils and industry benchmarks. A realignment of fees makes Lismore City Council comparable with our neighbouring councils.