THE Coffs Harbour, Bellingen and Nambucca Shire councils are still grappling with their red bin waste crisis as Coffs City Council General Manager Steve McGrath announced to News Of The Area that their Mixed Waste Organic Output (MWOO) will continue to be sent to Tamworth.

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This is at odds with Bellingen Councils’ recent request to send their MWOO to Nambucca and the prompt consideration and rejection by Nambucca Valley Council this week.

Bellingen Shire Council General Manager Liz Jeremy advised the request will be further considered by Nambucca Valley Council when there is more certainty about approval for its next cell at their landfill.

Prior to 2018 MWOO was considered a useable, recoverable waste product.

Director of Sustainable Infrastructure at Coffs Harbour City Council, Mr Mick Raby, said it was then effectively banned from going into landfill by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

All three Councils have made detailed submissions to Government regarding the repercussions of this decision on the councils and their communities.

Mr Raby said, “In 2005 we set about achieving an outcome of best practice in the way of recoverable waste and did so with considerable investment to meet the then criteria of the EPA but the goals posts were moved in 2008.

“Then in 2018 the goal posts were totally pulled down and we were told that MWOO cannot be put it into land.”

Mr McGrath maintained council’s objective remains to be of service to the rate payer.

“We are trying to manage diligently in the background the processing in a form that is reasonable and at no additional cost to the rate payer,” he said.

With about 40 or 50 % of organic waste matter going into our red or yellow bins Mr Raby acknowledged council will be undertaking an education programme in the foreseeable future.

“If there is one thing the constituents can do tomorrow to help it is to get all organic matter in the green bin, including bones. Effectively that would halve the size of the issue by next Friday,’ said Mr Raby.

By Sandra MOON