Geelong building waste fees will rise by 56 per cent in 2020-21 as a result of increases to state government levies.
The impending jump in ‘clean fill’ waste fees results from a $40 per tonne increase in state government’s Environment Protection Authority levy.
Waste disposal service fees, including gate fees at council tips, will rise between 27 and 35 per cent, as a result of state government’s landfill levy jumping from $65.90 per tonne to $105.90 in 2021-22.
The government deferred an initial increase to $85.50 per tonne last year because of the financial impact of COVID-19 on communities and local government.
The levy increases aim to encourage Victorians to recycle and reuse more in a bid to reduce waste going to landfill.
Geelong council has plans to divert 80 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030, with an interim target of 72 per cent by 2025.
Greater Geelong residents sent about 52,000 tonnes of waste to landfill in 2019-20.
Council’s new hard rubbish service collected 2484 tonnes of waste, of which more than a quarter was diverted from landfill and recycled, in its first year in 2019-20, according to City Hall.
