A plan to put free skip bins across Hume City for anyone to dump their rubbish has been put in the waste basket on official advice.
Cllr Jim Overend (Burt-kur-min Ward) came up with the idea a year ago and asked council staff to carry out a feasibility study.
The council’s 20-page study – published this week – concluded that the cost, health and safety, reputational, and legal risks, meant the idea was not feasible.
Jim Overend.
Had the proposal gone ahead, it would have cost ratepayers more than $8m a year for bins that would have been emptied every day.
At a council meeting Monday 24 March Cllr Overend said while council offers residents free tip passes, too few use them.
“I think that’s a real shame when you considering that this is at their fingertips,” he said.
“But I do believe a lot of the illegal dumping of rubbish is due to cowboy firms charging people to get rid of their rubbish and then dumping it.
“People are trying to do the right thing, but unfortunately these cowboys take advantage.”
Cllr Overend wants to name and shame cowboy firms caught dumping rubbish.
“When your name is plastered all over social media or the news for things that you’ve done, I’m sure you’re not going to be doing it again, and other people won’t be doing it either.
