Waste Services Update: Your Questions Answered

We understand the frustration, and it’s a fair question.

Your waste service charges cover much more than just bin collection. They fund a range of essential services that keep our city clean and safe every day, including verge collections, street sweeping, public and event bin maintenance, hard and green waste services, waste fleet maintenance, illegal dumping response, litter collection, graffiti removal, and waste education. These services operate regardless of which bin configuration is in place.

It’s also worth noting that since FOGO material started being directed to landfill in late 2024, disposal costs at the gate have actually increased by over 21%. The City has absorbed that increase rather than passing it on to residents. More waste going to landfill costs more, not less.

We understand the frustration that FOGO isn’t currently being processed as intended. Council has taken action to address this, authorising procurement for FOGO transport and processing services and requesting a comprehensive report on costs and service options to ensure the best outcome for our community.

That said, we want FOGO working properly too. That’s why Council has invested $1 million in restoring regional processing infrastructure and continues to work with State and regional partners on sustainable solutions. We’re committed to getting this right for our community.

We understand the appeal of simplifying things, especially when the service hasn’t been working as intended. Council has requested a comprehensive report that includes consideration of alternative service models. Any change to the current system would need to account for the financial, environmental, and regulatory implications for our community.

Moving away from FOGO would also mean:

• More waste going directly to landfill, which has increasing costs and environmental impacts
• Moving away from State waste strategy requirements that all WA councils are working toward
• Losing the infrastructure and community investment we’ve built over more than a decade
• Potentially losing access to future State Government funding and support

We’re committed to making FOGO work properly. The priority right now is restoring regional processing capacity so organic waste can be processed locally rather than transported long distances at significant cost.

We hear you, and we share your frustration that FOGO processing hasn’t been available during this period.

It’s worth noting that your waste service charges cover much more than just bin collection. They fund verge collections, street sweeping, public and event bin maintenance, hard and green waste services, waste fleet maintenance, illegal dumping response, litter collection, graffiti removal, and waste education, and development of future processing infrastructure.

Council has commissioned a report that will include financial modelling on the current service and alternative models, ensuring any future decisions are based on evidence.

We’re actively working to restore FOGO processing, with $1 million invested locally in restoring regional infrastructure. We’ll keep our community updated as progress is made.

Right now, we know it can feel pointless, and we understand that frustration.

Here’s why it still matters:

Keeping the habit going means when processing is restored, we’re ready. Restarting community behaviour from scratch is much harder than maintaining it.

Contamination was a major factor in the challenges at Banksia Road. When processing restarts, cleaner inputs will be essential to making it work. Building good habits now sets us up for success.

We’re investing in restoring processing capacity. Council has committed $1 million toward clearing the Banksia Road facility, which is expected to take approximately two months once underway. This is a critical step toward getting regional processing operational again.

We’re asking our community to stay the course. It won’t be wasted effort.

Following the closure of the Banksia Road facility in December 2024, the nearest licensed FOGO processing facilities are located in the Perth metropolitan area. We agree this isn’t a long-term solution – the transport distances and associated costs reinforce exactly why a permanent regional processing facility is needed.

In the interim, Council is pursuing transport arrangements that may include the use of a local transfer station to consolidate material before it’s transported to Perth for processing. The State Government’s $95 per tonne transport rebate is designed to help offset these costs during this transition period.

Council has also committed to supporting the development of a regional procurement process for a permanent FOGO processing facility right here in the South West. That’s the long-term fix.

Your FOGO bin continues to be collected on your scheduled collection day. Currently, FOGO material is being directed to landfill due to the closure of the Banksia Road processing facility in December 2024.

We know this isn’t the outcome anyone wants. Council has invested $1 million toward clearing the Banksia Road facility so it can be restored for processing, and that work is expected to take approximately two months once underway.

In the meantime, we encourage residents to continue separating food and garden organics correctly and to compost at home where possible.

Council has endorsed a three-part approach:

Securing transport: The CEO has been authorised to initiate procurement for FOGO transport services to licensed processing facilities. In the short term, this will involve transporting material to Perth-based processors, potentially via a local transfer station to reduce costs. The contract term runs through to September 2028.

Informed decision on State support: The State Government has offered a $95 per tonne transport rebate – a significant improvement on the original sliding-scale proposal, secured through advocacy by South West councils including Bunbury. Once the procurement process is complete, the CEO will provide a formal report to Council evaluating actual costs, the specific implications of the rebate, and alternative waste service models including a potential return to a two-bin system. This ensures Council has a complete picture of all options – and what they’d actually cost – before committing to a long-term direction.

Permanent regional facility: Council is supporting the development of a regional procurement process to establish a permanent FOGO processing facility within the South West – eliminating the need for long-distance transport to Perth.

We’ll provide updates as procurement progresses and key milestones are reached.

Council is working on multiple fronts:

• Banksia Road restoration: $1 million invested to clear the facility and enable future processing
• BHRC governance review: Evaluating the operating model, governance structure, and long-term options with the Shire of Harvey
• Regional collaboration: Working with neighbouring councils and State agencies on sustainable processing solutions
• Industry partnerships: Exploring opportunities with the waste and recycling industry
• State Government engagement: Continuing to advocate for support that reflects the real costs facing regional councils

We expect to provide a clearer picture on the future direction of regional waste services following the current governance and operating model review.

We know our community wants a clear answer on when FOGO will be fully operational again. We’re working toward that as quickly as possible and will provide updates as milestones are reached.

We also know that “we’re working on it” isn’t the answer anyone wants to hear indefinitely. Council is committed to delivering a sustainable plan, not just managing the status quo.

The City has provided financial support to the Bunbury Harvey Regional Council over several years to ensure our community retains access to essential waste services. Over the past five years, this has included contributions toward operations, infrastructure, landfill capping, and facility remediation totalling several million dollars.

We won’t sugar-coat it, continued contributions of this nature aren’t sustainable, and our community rightly expects a better path forward.

That’s why Council is actively reviewing the BHRC governance structure and operating model, working with the Shire of Harvey to establish a long-term arrangement that is financially sustainable and delivers value for ratepayers.

BHRC operates key waste infrastructure for our community, including the Stanley Road Waste Management Facility and waste transfer stations serving Bunbury and Harvey residents. These services need to continue operating while the review progresses.

Council approved an operating contribution of $280,000 to the Bunbury Harvey Regional Council for the 2025/26 financial year. This represents the City’s 50 per cent share, with the Shire of Harvey contributing an equal amount.

BHRC operates the region’s only municipal landfill and recycling facility at Stanley Road. Current operating licence conditions have impacted the facility’s revenue, creating a short-term funding gap. This contribution ensures essential waste services continue for our community.

We won’t sugar-coat it, continued contributions of this nature aren’t sustainable. That’s why a comprehensive review of BHRC’s governance and operating model is underway, focused on establishing a long-term arrangement that delivers value for ratepayers.

Current waste service charges are set through the annual budget process. The contributions to BHRC are funded from the Refuse Collection and Waste Minimisation Reserve, which exists specifically for waste management purposes and does not impact other City services or general rates.

Any future changes to waste charges would be considered as part of Council’s annual budget deliberations, with community consultation as required.

Council is mindful of cost-of-living pressures and is focused on finding efficiencies and long-term solutions that minimise impacts on ratepayers.

Current waste service charges are set through the annual budget process. The contributions to regional waste infrastructure are funded from the Refuse Collection and Waste Minimisation Reserve, which exists specifically for waste management purposes.

Since FOGO started going to landfill, disposal costs have increased by over 21%. The City has absorbed this increase rather than passing it on to residents.

Council has requested a comprehensive report on service costs and options, including full financial modelling, to ensure any long-term decisions deliver value for the community. Any future changes to waste charges would be considered as part of Council’s annual budget process.

Council is mindful of cost-of-living pressures and is focused on finding solutions that minimise impacts on ratepayers.

This is a regional challenge affecting multiple South West councils, not just Bunbury. Several councils across the region are facing the same FOGO processing challenges due to the closure of the Banksia Road facility.

Your waste service charges continue to fund essential services that operate every day – verge collections, street sweeping, public and event bin maintenance, hard and green waste services, waste fleet maintenance, illegal dumping response, litter collection, graffiti removal, and waste education.

Council is committed to ensuring our waste services deliver value for ratepayers and has commissioned a comprehensive review of costs and service options.

We’re focused on restoring full FOGO processing and will keep our community informed as that work progresses.

It’s a common assumption, but more waste going to landfill actually costs more, not less.

Since FOGO material started being directed to landfill in late 2024, disposal costs at the gate have increased by over 21%. The City has absorbed that increase rather than passing it on to residents.

The City’s collection fleet is required on the road regardless of bin configuration – reducing the number of bins doesn’t reduce collection costs. What does change is the cost of disposing of the waste, and landfill costs continue to rise.

Getting organic waste to processing facilities – where it becomes a useful product rather than a landfill cost – is both environmentally and financially the better long-term outcome. That’s exactly what Council’s endorsed plan is working toward.

Council has requested that the CEO’s report on FOGO transport costs also include consideration of alternative waste service models, including a potential return to a two-bin system.

This doesn’t mean FOGO is being scrapped. It means Council wants a complete picture of all options – including what they’d actually cost and what the implications would be – before committing to a long-term direction.

Any change would need to account for the financial, environmental, and regulatory implications for our community.

Council has also endorsed procurement for FOGO transport and processing services and committed to pursuing a permanent regional processing facility. Those decisions stand.

Council has authorised the CEO to commence procurement for a FOGO processing service to begin as soon as practicable. We’ll provide updates on timing as the procurement process progresses.

In the meantime, we encourage residents to continue separating food and garden organics correctly. When processing restarts, clean inputs will be essential to making it work.

Council has taken a data-driven approach. Rather than accepting or rejecting the State’s FOGO Transport Rebate upfront, Council will first go to market to establish what FOGO transport and processing actually costs right now.

Once real pricing is confirmed through the tender process, Council will assess whether the $95 per tonne rebate provides genuine value for our community. Current indications, including the impact of global fuel costs, suggest transport costs may have increased significantly since the rebate was first developed.

This approach ensures any decision on State funding is based on actual numbers, not outdated estimates.