A landfill levy could effectively double the cost of rubbish disposal, costing our shire another $2.4 million a year, our councillors have heard.
Forbes Shire Council will join NetWaste in opposing the expansion of the NSW Waste Levy to any of the 25 member councils, as the NSW Government goes through a consultation process.
The NSW Waste Levy is a charge on all material landfilled, including cover, within the regulated area of NSW, a report from council's Manager Waste and Environment Paul Adams said in a report to the July council meeting.
It's designed to divert waste from landfill and promote - and fund - resource recovery.
At the moment the regulated area, defined by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) does not include Forbes or other Netwaste councils.
Current levy rates are $97.90 in regional areas. While that's not confirmed as a rate that would be applied to Forbes, at 25,000 tonnes of waste a year it would cost us more than $2.4 million in levy fees.
That would effectively double the cost of waste management to the council, the report says.
Netwaste fears rising costs could cause increased illegal dumping around rural communities.
"The NSW EPA Levy applied to any of our Councils would be highly detrimental to waste management and simply lead to community angst and resentment against both Local Council and the NSW Government," their letter says.
"Any introduction of a waste levy to any of the NetWaste Local Government Areas will simply be another form of cost-shifting by the NSW government that will add to the cost of living, encourage illegal dumping and have minimal impact on resource recovery.
"It will have a detrimental impact on our local communities and cause disengagement in our communities with the goal of reaching a circular economy."
NetWaste Councils have already demonstrated their commitment to landfill diversion through extensive recycling and education programs, the organisation argues.
Councils like Forbes already operate a kerbside food organics garden organics service.
"We argue that those councils that operate their own landfills already have the motivation to keep material out of landfill, and the need to maintain airspace for as long as possible for our communities," their letter says.
"It is already in the Council's best interest because we do not want to run out of capacity, and then face the exorbitant prospect to either transport waste elsewhere or establish a new landfill."
The organisation also suggested other solutions, including product design and manufacture, with State and Federal governments needing to encourage product design and manufacture processes that reduce waste.