Waste Services Update: Your Questions Answered

We understand the frustration, and it’s a fair question. What many residents may not realise is that under the current three-bin FOGO system, households are actually paying less than they would under a traditional waste collection service with a weekly general waste (red lid) bin.

When FOGO was introduced, general waste collection moved to a smaller bin collected fortnightly, with the FOGO bin collected on alternate weeks. The combined cost of this arrangement is less than what a standard weekly general waste service would cost.

So, while we completely understand the concern about FOGO not currently being processed as intended, residents haven’t been paying more – they’ve been paying less than the alternative, even during this transition period.

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. However, reverting to a weekly general waste service would actually cost households more than the current three-bin system.

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, public bin maintenance, street and path sweeping, waste education, and development of future processing infrastructure.

It’s also important to know that the current three-bin system actually costs households less than a traditional service with a larger, weekly general waste collection would.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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 – waste collection, verge pickups, street sweeping, public bin maintenance, and waste education programs.

The current three-bin service also costs less than a traditional weekly general waste collection would, so households haven’t been financially disadvantaged during this period.

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