Green takeaway!

By Paul Dunlop
RESIDENTS can mow their lawns and leave the clippings for council to take to the tip if they are willing to pay for the privilege.
A fortnightly green rubbish collection has been proposed for Pakenham and other towns around Cardinia Shire.
The collection is part of a new waste management strategy that council hopes will help dramatically cut back the amount of green waste currently being dumped in rubbish bins.
It comes amidst concerns too many people are taking the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach to waste disposal.
Councillors support the green waste collection but have backed away from making it compulsory.
It was decided at a meeting on Monday to leave it up to residents to say whether they were willing to pay for the fortnightly service.
The cost estimated at about $60 per year would be on top of the current $157 garbage charge.
Cardinia is the only council in the south east waste management group that does not provide a binbased green waste collection service.
Councillors felt something had to be done, but they were mindful that compulsory green waste collections had caused plenty of controversy in other municipalities, particularly nearby City of Casey.
Port Ward councillor Doug Hamilton said council needed to reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill but emphasised it was up to residents whether they wanted to be part of it.
“If people don’t want to be involved they don’t have to be,” Cr Hamilton said.
Cr Brett Owen said council was saving itself a lot of potential heartache by making the pickup optional.
“It gives people a choice,” Cr Owen said.
Although a report to council’s meeting found most residents supported a green waste collection, the big test is likely to be how much householders are willing to pay.
A survey last year showed a lot of residents did not want to pay more than $30 annually for the service, although many currently pay much more to private contractors.
The more people involved in the pickup, the lower the likely cost.
Under the plan, residents will receive a letter from council explaining the new initiatives. Residents must tell the council if they wish to be excluded.
Cr Pearson said people who already did their own mulching and composting should not feel they were being forced into changing.
Council’s new waste management strategy was put out in draft form last year for public comment. It was officially adopted on Monday.
Tenders will be called from contractors wanting to receive and process green waste on council’s behalf.
Councillors have also pledged to have further discussion about options for shirewide hard and bundled green waste collections.