Garbage collectors: Costs to rise

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A COUNCIL plan to close Corio’s tip will increase costs for garbage collectors, according to waste management companies.
Council will also lose one of its top 10 commercial customers, Sita Environmental Services, the company has confirmed.
Marketing manager Simon Lee said Sita last week opened its own resource recovery facility in Heales Rd, Lara.
“This is only the first stage of the facility but it has the capacity to go up to 130,000 tonnes per annum,” Mr Lee said.
“We’ll be investing several million dollars in this facility in the coming years.
“This facility is available to both residential and commercial customers.
“We will use it for our commercial waste collections from businesses in the region. It’s a primary resource recovery facility, so there’ll be an initial sorting of waste, concrete, timber and recyclables.”
Mr Lee said the company faced increased cartage costs because it might still use Drysdale’s landfill for some material from eastern and southern suburbs.
Material unable to be recycled at Lara would have to be transported to the Werribee landfill, he said.
Corio Waste Management’s Ken Dickens warned the changes would increase costs considerably.
“We’ll face significantly increased cartage costs, especially if we have to take longer alternative routes to the Drysdale landfill.
“Corio would take material that they are reluctant to take at Drysdale, so we’re desperately trying to find another place for it. There must be concern at materials like odorous waste going through Drysdale, especially at the height of summer with the town full of holidaymakers.
“It’s going to be nightmare and will affect amenity. There’s no easy way in or out.
“There are some serious challenges facing the waste management industry in Geelong.”
City of Greater Geelong services manager Gary van Driel said rehabilitating the 70-hectare Corio landfill would cost up to $23 million.
Mr Van Driel said the City planned to open a transfer station at a leased facility on Point Henry Rd, Moolap.
Current contractor Cleanaway would deposit waste collections at the transfer station, with semi-trailers taking most of it to the Drysdale landfill.
Mr Van Driel said the adjustments to the existing contract would cost the City an extra $400,000.