PUBLIC PLACE WASTE AND RECYCLING

Checklist One: Taking Stock

When formalising a new approach, the first step is to take stock of the current public place waste and recycling services, events and littering and illegal dumping and the contractual obligations for each of the merging councils. This will lead into the development of a consolidated approach.

Activity / Starting Point for Discussion / Council 1 / Council 2 / Points of difference
What / What type of public place waste/recycling infrastructure and services are currently in place?
-  Size, colour and number of bins/other waste collection infrastructure in place (e.g. bins in parks, street bins etc)
-  Materials collected through those collections (waste/recycling collected)
-  Other special waste collections (e.g. battery collection in local library or Council office)
-  Number and type (e.g. capacity, collection mechanism) of collection vehicles required to service the local government area.
What is the approach taken to waste management at events?
Including those events run by councils and those run by external parties
What is the approach taken to litter and illegal dumping by the council?
Things to consider include:
- Infrastructure provided, e.g. comprehensive bin collection services
- Enforcement activities, e.g. council officers actively issue infringements
- Education activities, e.g. promotion of Litter Reporting Scheme
- Incentive Schemes, e.g. dob in a dumper
What type of software or data management system is used to capture the information associated with infrastructure / service provision and enforcement?
Assists with legislated reporting requirements, illegal dumping hot spots, financial planning and customer service
What resources are available / allocated to this activity?
-  Staff resources
-  Financial resources
-  External funding for specific programs (e.g. Waste Less Recycle More initiative)
Who / Who provides the infrastructure / services internally?
-  Which business unit/s manage the physical collection of materials (this includes organising collection routes, general enquiries etc)?
-  Which business unit/s organises where waste and resources are sent for processing?
-  Which business unit/s manages contracts with external parties?
Identify which external parties have contracts to deliver council infrastructure / services (consider all services, and the degree of external party involvement – waste, recycling, organics or other)
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How / What is the current approach to providing public place services (waste, recycling, organics and other)?
-  Is the collection managed in-house, or contracted out to external parties?
-  Detail contractual arrangements, in particular the conclusion date for each contract
Measure / Is the effectiveness of communications measured?
-  Customer feedback
-  Contamination rates
-  Contractor/ staff feedback
-  WHS / Dangerous Goods compliance
-  Annual surveys of residents (Behaviour / attitudes analysis/survey)

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