Media Response Bin Changes

Published on 11 August 2022

I was hoping to ask the council how it had communicated the changes to residents and how many bins were placed out today  incorrectly this week?

Council has provided a suite of information to residents on the bin changes, including an information pack sent to all households with a waste calendar outlining the news days for the bin collection, an A-Z guide of what goes in each bin (landfill, recycling and food and green waste),  a guide on where you can recycle household items like clothing and furniture, and a pack of liners for the kitchen bin caddy for residents to trial and decide if they want to continue using. The pack included QR codes linking to information on Council’s website. Households were also provided information in several editions of the Monash Bulletin, Council’s monthly newsletter that is delivered to every household. This was Council’s largest ever community consultation, with more than 7000 responses provided to us about the proposed change. We held a number of in-person and pop up information sessions, online sessions and a survey where the community could raise concerns.

We sent 99,434 letters to residential properties and ratepayers outlining the changes, with a QR code linked to the Shape Monash page where an opt-in survey could be completed and an information flyer on the changes to the service. We conducted a random sample telephone survey of 800 Monash residents and focus groups (4 sessions, 6-8 persons in each) via an external market research company (JWS Research).

We received 4,371 completed survey responses. We spoke to 1,518 community members face to face at 29 pop-up stalls held at various locations across Monash (18 locations in total).

We met with 55 residents on Zoom for Q&A and information sessions. We responded directly to 135 emails, 123 telephone calls and 108 questions on Shape Monash.

We received 341 comments, 28 shares, 264 likes and reactions to 19 posts on Facebook and 82 engagements on 11 tweets on Twitter.

Following on from the community feedback, we made some changes to what was originally considered.

This includes:

Providing a free landfill bin upgrade to households with 2 or more children in nappies, a medical condition that causes more waste or a family of 6 or more with financial hardship (approved on application with evidence)

Reducing the cost of a second recycling bin to $65 (annual charge)

Sending a sample pack of compostable liners to all households with a green bin

Sending a support pack with information on how to reduce waste, how to use the three bins, an A-Z recycling guide, and QR links to information on our website

Bin tags were placed on all landfill (red) bins over the last 2 weeks alerting residents to the impending change

Hosting recycling education sessions (online and in person) and pop-up stalls, as well as offer one-on-one support (where applicable) to help residents transition to the change.

It’s only day two of the changeover so we are realistic in our expectations that not everyone will get their collection day right.

For those that have put out the wrong bin, we will pick it up as a courtesy and there will be a reminder sticker issued so they know what to do next time.

We are keen to work with the community as they adapt to this change.

Council has had 2208 of  14,988 bins placed out incorrectly on the first day as people are learning and adapting to the change.

In Area A where the change is occurring this week, there were 2208 landfill (red) bins  placed out incorrectly today.

6553 recycling (yellow) and 6227 Food and Garden waste (green) bins were placed out correctly for collection and emptied.  

We are confident these figures will improve substantially as we move through this first cycle of change.

Have any residents contacted the council to complain about their bins not being collected?

We’ve had some residents contact us to confirm the change or query what happens if they get it wrong.

In those instances we are supporting the residents by emptying their bin and providing them with additional information for the next cycle, including a reminder sticker on their bin.

Sometimes all it can take is one person in the street putting out the wrong bin so the stickers really assist in resetting the cycle for people.

 I know it's only early days, but what sort of feedback has the council received to the change in bin collection so far?

 A large proportion of the community understand why this change has to happen, to reduce waste going to landfill. We can’t keep digging holes in the ground and burying our waste. Diverting waste from landfill, recycling and using food and garden waste for compost are actions we can all take that make a difference.

We acknowledge that it may take others some time to adjust, and some may never accept the changes. We hope they come around to understanding how critical these changes are and why we, like many other councils, have made this switch.

Issued: 1 August 2022

To: Leader Newspapers

Quoting: Mayor Stuart James.