Kerbside Bin Proposals
What is Council consulting the community about?
Council is seeking feedback on two proposals:
- Proposal 1 asks:
Do you agree with the proposal to continue with a weekly collection of the red-bin, rather than change to a fortnightly collection of the red bin? - Proposal 2 asks:
Do you agree with the proposal to extend the kerbside collection to areas within Capertee, Glen Davis, Glen Alice, Rydal, Tarana and Sodwalls, rather than continue with only the existing collection areas.
The draft proposals are on exhibition from 9 June – 18 July 2025.
Council is inviting feedback on the draft proposals during the exhibition period.
Why is Council consulting the community on the future kerbside collection services?
Council’s current contract for the provision of kerbside waste services expires in November, 2026.
At the February 2025 meeting of Council, following an open tender process, Council resolved to award the next kerbside waste services contract to JR Richards.
The new contract will commence on 4 November 2026, for a term of 10 years.
During the tender process, Council was provided with pricing options for:
- A weekly red bin collection OR a fortnightly red bin collection, and
- The existing kerbside collection area OR an extended kerbside collection area.
Based on a review of the options, Council has drafted two proposals that are on exhibition from 9 June – 18 July 2025. Council is inviting feedback on the draft proposals during the exhibition period.
What is the kerbside-bin collection service?
The kerbside bin collection includes:
- The collection of the red bin (for general domestic waste that cannot be recycled and goes to landfill),
- The collection of the yellow bin (for recyclables),
- The collection of the green bin (the Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin for composting food scraps and plant cuttings),
- The processing of the recyclables and organics that are collected in the kerbside yellow-bins and green bins, the disposal of the contents of the red bin, and
- The twice-a-year Bulky Waste Collection and Green Waste Clean-up.
What are the proposed changes?
Council has been provided with pricing options for two different red bin collection frequencies and two different collection areas.
The options for the red bin collection are:
- A weekly red-lid bin collection, or
- A fortnightly red-lid bin collection.
The options for the kerbside collection areas are:
- The existing collection area only, or
- The existing areas and an extension to areas in Capertee, Glen Alice, Glen Davis, Rydal, Sodwalls and Tarana.
How is Council consulting the community?
Council has reviewed the options and developed two draft proposals.
The proposals aim to deliver on the service level expectations of our communities while ensuring waste services remain affordable, equitable, sustainable and consistent with achieving the NSW Government waste targets.
Council is inviting all members of our communities to give feedback on the proposals.
Details of the two proposals are below. Click on the + icon to expand for further information.
If you would like to receive printed copies of the proposals, please contact Council on 6354 9999 or by email to: Council@lithgow.nsw.gov.au
Key Dates
| icon | description |
|---|---|
 | Tuesday 10 June Submissions open |
 | Friday 18 July Submissions close |
| Monday 25 August Business papers presented to Council |
| Wednesday 10 September Outcome published on Council's website |
Proposal 1:
To continue with the weekly collection of the red-lid bin for general waste
What is Council asking the community?
Council is asking do you agree to continuing the weekly collection of the red-bin, rather than changing to a fortnightly collection.
What is the red-bin?
The red bin is the kerbside bin with the red lid that collects general waste. ‘General waste’ is waste that cannot be recycled or composted and is sent to landfill.
What is the alternative to a weekly red-bin collection?
The alternative to continuing with the weekly red bin collection would be to change to a fortnightly collection.
Is there a difference in the cost of a weekly red-bin collection and a fortnightly red bin collection?
Yes, based on the current number of services, changing to a fortnightly red bin collection, instead of continuing with the weekly collection, would result in a cost reduction of approximately $33 per household, per year. This is a saving of approximately 64 cents per household, per week compared to a weekly red-bin collection.
It is important to note that the provision of waste services involves a range of costs and the domestic waste service charge is calculated based on all of these costs. As such, a saving in one cost will not result in a direct equivalent reduction in the domestic waste service charge.
Why is Council proposing to continue with a weekly red bin collection?
Council’s proposal to continue with the existing weekly red bin collection is based on:
- Previous feedback from residents that indicated a preference for a weekly red-bin collection,
- The relatively small cost saving of 64 cents per household per week in comparison to the inconvenience to households of managing larger waste volumes fortnightly,
- The risk of higher contamination in all bins,
- An increase in the time it takes to complete the bin collections due to the higher volumes in bins emptied fortnightly requiring the trucks to unload more frequently,
- A lack of evidence that less frequent collections causes residents to reduce waste volumes, and
- An increase in administrative costs to manage the change to the red-bin collection and the impacts of the change.
How can I give feedback on the draft proposal?
Council invites feedback from all members of the community on this draft proposal to continue with the weekly red-bin collection.
Feedback can be submitted:
- On this page using the Feedback form
- By email to council@lithgow.nsw.gov.au or
- By mail to Council at: Lithgow City Council, PO Box 19, LITHGOW NSW 2790.
Proposal 2:
To extend the kerbside bin collection to areas within Capertee, Glen Davis, Glen Alice, Tarana, Rydal and Sodwalls
What is Council asking the community?
Council is asking the community if it agrees with the proposal to extend the kerbside bin collection areas
What areas will the kerbside collection be extended to?
It is proposed that the kerbside collection will be extended to areas within Capertee, Glen Davis, Glen Alice, Tarana and Sodwalls.
Will the kerbside bin collection remain the same in areas that already have the service?
Yes, the areas that already have a kerbside-bin collection service will continue to have the same services.
Will there be a change to the cost of waste services?
Yes, based on proposed contract rates and the expected number of additional services, extending the collection area will increase the cost of the ‘Garbage Service – Residential’ charge for each household that has the kerbside collection by approximately $14 per year.
For those properties within the extended kerbside service area, the charge will change from the ‘Waste Disposal – Rural’ charge to either the ‘Garbage Service – Residential’ charge or the ‘Vacant Land/Kerbside Availability’ charge (depending on whether there is a dwelling on the property). Further details are provided below.
What is the ‘Garbage Service – Residential’ charge?
Council has three classifications for residential waste service charges.
These 3 classifications are:
- Garbage Service – Residential (for dwellings in areas that have a kerbside collection)
- Vacant Land/Kerbside Availability (for vacant land in areas that have a kerbside collection)
- Waste Disposal – Rural (for rateable parcels of land in areas that do not have a kerbside collection)
The ‘Garbage Service – Residential’ charge is the same for all residents with the kerbside collection service. This means that the increase will apply to all residents with the kerbside collection service.
The amount of the charges is based on the cost of providing the services.
At present, the Garbage Service – Residential charge is higher than the Waste Disposal Rural charge. The ‘Garbage Service – Residential’ charge includes the costs of collecting the red, yellow and green bins, processing the collected material and providing bulky waste collections and green waste clean-ups.
The ‘Waste Disposal – Rural’ charge is currently lower than the ‘Garbage Service – Residential’ charge; however, this is changing because the cost of providing rural waste services is increasing and the amount being charged does not cover the actual costs.
The current charges are published under Fees and Charges on Council’s website at: https://council.lithgow.com/
|
Charge type |
2024/25 |
2025/26 (on exhibition) |
|
Garbage Service – Residential charge |
$557.00 |
$602.60 |
|
Vacant Land/Kerbside Availability |
$282.40 |
$290.30 |
|
Waste Disposal Rural |
$208.70 |
$290.30 |
Why is the ‘Waste Disposal – Rural’ charge changing?
The Waste Disposal – Rural çharge is increasing. This is because, at the current level, the charge is insufficient to cover the full cost of providing the rural waste facilities.
To address these increasing costs, the rural transfer stations will continue to be rationalised and secured. This will include a review of the location and services at each facility.
Will the waste charge classification change for those residents who will receive a kerbside collection if the area is extended?
Yes, properties with a dwelling in the proposed extended collection area will move from the ‘Waste Disposal – Rural’ charge to the ‘Garbage Service – Residential’ charge.
Properties without a dwelling in the proposed extended collection area will change from the ‘Waste Disposal – Rural’ charge to the ‘Vacant Land/Kerbside Availability’ charge.
How does extending the kerbside collection area benefit all residents?
The extension of the kerbside collection area is the most effective way to:
- Maintain the ongoing viability of Council’s waste services and facilities,
- Meet the service level expectations of our residents,
- Protect the health of the environment and people,
- Ensure the provision of cost-effective waste services for all our communities,
- Reduce the risk of large cost increases in the future,
- Comply with regulatory obligations, and
- Achieve the NSW Government and Lithgow Council Waste Strategy targets.
What are the benefits to residents in the extended kerbside-bin collection areas?
Extending the kerbside collection area will:
- Improve service provision in rural areas by providing residents in the extended areas with:
- Kerbside collection of red, yellow and green bins,
- Two bulky waste collections each year, and
- Two green waste cleanups each year.
- Provide for the continuation of rural waste services as rural landfills reach capacity,
- Address the lack of a suitable site for a waste facility that meets community cost and service expectations and regulatory compliance requirements, and
- Provides improved environmental and social outcomes for the community and natural area.
What waste services will be available in these areas if the kerbside collection area is not extended?
Council’s Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy 2022-2026 (the Strategy) identifies challenges and risks with the provision of rural waste services.
These challenges include but are not limited to:
- Rural landfills reaching capacity and closing in the near future,
- The lack of opportunities for recycling and resource recovery,
- Ongoing cost increases to properly cover the actual operating and capital costs for the provision of rural waste facilities,
- Ongoing cost increases to meet the requirements for compliance with environmental regulations,
- Misuse of facilities for unauthorised waste,
- Misuse of facilities for out of area waste,
- Risks to Council from misuse of facilities, including non-compliance with warnings and safety requirements.
- Difficulties achieving NSW Government’s targets for waste reduction and resource recovery that have been adopted by Council.
- Suitable sites for transfer stations following landfill closure, mainly Capertee
As a result of these challenges, Council is reviewing the location and services at all rural waste facilities, including transfer stations. The transfer stations are provided primarily for those without a kerbside service to dispose of household waste of the type and quantity that is accepted in kerbside bins. In addition to kerbside bins, the bin collection service also provides 2 bulky green and 2 bulky general waste collections per year. The kerbside service is provided to cover all domestic waste needs, and transfer stations are not required where a collection service is available.
Why is Council proposing the extension of the kerbside collection area?
Council is proposing the extension of the kerbside bin collection area as this will:
- Provide residents with the best possible level of service,
- Provide residents with ongoing waste services in their locality,
- Deliver best practice waste management, and
- Help protect all of the community from higher costs for the provision of waste services in the future.
How will feedback be evaluated?
A community consultation process is an opportunity for members of the community to inform Council and contribute to the decision-making process. Proposals may impact areas differently and all feedback is taken into consideration so that a decision can be made based on what will deliver the best outcomes for all members of the community, now and in the future.
How can I give feedback on the draft proposal?
Council invites feedback from all members of the community on the draft proposal to extend the kerbside service area, rather than only continue collections in the existing kerbside collection areas.
Feedback can be submitted by:
- Using the feedback form on this page,
- Email to: council@lithgow.nsw.gov.au
- Post to: Lithgow City Council, PO Box 19, LITHGOW NSW 2790