While council charges a waste management fee of $92.40 per year for all households, the fee is part of its cost recovery for the whole waste program it manages. 

The fee is an increase from the $77.30 charged last year.

Until now residents have been able to take waste to the landfill for no charge.  However,  urban householders pay $509 to cover the overall cost of operation of the services. 

This fee was raised significantly last year to cover increases in the State government waste levy, but has not been increased this year. 

Council believes it will pay less levy to the government due to more exact measuring resulting from the new weighbridge and improved recycling strategies.

The levy was introduced in 2009 at a rate of $10 per tonne. 

The NSW government has increased this rate each year by $10 per tonne plus CPI and it is now $53.70. 

Last year Gloucester Shire Council paid more thanr $360,000 as levy payment to the State.

“The new weighbridge will accurately measure the material deposited in the landfill, rather than rely on deeming rates mandated by the State,” council’s manager of Planning and Environment Graham Gardner said.

“It is estimated that the measured waste to landfill will be reduced by some 2000 tonnes just on the deeming rate alone. 

“If local residents improve their waste disposal by separating recyclable products, that can be reduced even further. 

“The 2000 tonnes will see the levy payment reduced by over $100,000 in this next year.”

The new landfill fee structure will be introduced on October 1.