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Council Clean Ups Under Review

26/1/2018

What’s the best way for the council to collect bulky, household rubbish?

Is it the twice-a-year general clean up that we used to have? Or the system Manly Ward has now where households book their own collections, with up to two free pick-ups a year.

Northern Beaches Council is currently considering tenders for both these collection systems and will make a choice in the next few months.

The general suburb-wide clean up is a great chance to re-use other peoples’ throw outs. But it generates mounds of junk, which is expensive for the council to collect. And the council says research shows that not many items are actually re-cycled.

The booked clean-ups generate much less trash, but the system has been over-loaded, with residents forced to wait weeks before their rubbish could be collected. The Council says that will change. Any tender they accept will guarantee that residents wait no longer than 7 to 10 days when they book a collection.

And if booked collections is the way the Council goes, here’s something to keep re-cyclers happy: Good For Manly President and Council Deputy Mayor Candy Bingham says she’s pushing for Second Hand Saturday to make a come back.

“I would love to see this brought back,” Cr Bingham said. “It would be a suburb-wide event that we advertise well in advance. People can put out anything they hope to recycle, but if it’s not taken away, they’re responsible for it and they have to take it back inside again. That way, the footpath doesn’t end up covered with junk, but there's still plenty of things to recycle.”

Once the Council has decided on general or booked clean ups, the system will be applied to the whole Northern Beaches area.

What is your preferred system and why?

62 Comments

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To make a positive change to the way the Northern Beaches Council is run:
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5. Addressing residents' needs

Elizabeth Barr

2/2/2018 07:12:28 am

I prefer 2 general clean ups a year. Although you state Council says not much gets recycled that has not been my personal experience. It was a shame when Council axed the general clean up service and I would like to see it back.
Elizabeth

Anneli

2/2/2018 07:19:22 am

I totally agree with Elizabeth. I find the biannual clean up the best way to recycle, and I’ve seen how many items are actually pulled out to be used by someone else.

Gay O'Conor

2/2/2018 03:01:04 pm

I agree with those who want the return of the bi-annual clean up. And I have seen many times people going through stuff left out so it is not true to suggest that recycling doesn't occur. Once I left out an ice-cram maker (thinking it was too large for the kitchen and wishing now I'd kept it cos. I can't find an ice-cream maker that actually works) and it was gone within 20 minutes! Ditto a weber barbecue - except that that was put out the next clean-up from a neighbour down the road, because it actually didn't work! (Wonder where it went from there . . . )

Andreas

3/2/2018 01:32:06 pm

6 clearups on demand are better for all I think ie avoids rubbish hoarding by residents, or paying at the tip it stops whole streets looking like rubbish dumps twice a year n people who want to collect from the curb can still do so with the 6 on demand system which obviously is more environment friendly.

Howard Gilmore

2/2/2018 07:49:54 am

I agree that for Manly we should return to the 2 general clean ups each year - recycling does take place while the throw-outs sit on the footpath. The current system of booking does not work well for unit blocks as sometimes only 1 apartment's rubbish is collected due to poor communication within the block.

Elizabeth Boon

2/2/2018 08:54:06 am

The twice yearly pickup of household goods is preferable. Thank you! There is a company, I believe, that recycles old mattresses, using the contents. I do not know the name but Readers' Digest had an article on it some years ago.

2/2/2018 11:04:58 am

Unless we get 6 on demand kerb clear ups on demand like other councils its a con as we have to keep in store our rubbish or take it to the tip ourselves n pay money to increase the profits of waste disposal companies. Its obvious to me the proposals favour the companies not the residents.

2/2/2018 11:14:18 am

I can't keep storing my rubbish for 6 months so I been paying to take it to the tip so am paying twice eg I pay for rubbish removal in the rates then also at the tip. Isn't that a con ??

James

2/2/2018 12:09:46 pm

I agree - two general clean ups are better. I saw loads of recycling going on AND it means that there is only junk out on the street for a few days a year. Currently there is always junk out on any particular street awaiting pick up.

Jan Tagg

2/2/2018 02:18:55 pm

Definitely two general cleanups per year. Much more is recycled and sold, just watch the large trucks scouting the area. Very disappointed with the 'on demand' trial.

Gary Crees

2/2/2018 02:46:19 pm

I much prefered 2 general clean ups a year. My experience of living in Manly for 35 years is that the 2 annual cleanups became a big recycling experience with many objects taken not only by recycling contractors but private citizens as well. anything of value or interest was quickly taken for reuse or to sell/ Metal recyclers also took old washing machines etc. the new system of booking a cleanup, is a disincentive to go through the bother of booking & especially only being allowed to put it out the night before. if occupants are all working during the day or if e.g. apartment dwellers have nowhere off the street to store items ready to put out on the afternoon before.
Other councils like Marrickville have separate recycling collections eg for fridges, mattresses etc to a general cleanup so items that would not be recycled in the general cleanup are dealt with appropriately environmentally. these appear to be done in collaboration with businesses that specialise in recycling them.

janelle sandalciyan

2/2/2018 03:59:45 pm

I prefer the two clean ups per year. I do believe there is more recycling done here, as metal collectors etc. know when to go to which suburb. Booking your individual collection means there is always someone in your area with rubbish loaded out the front. Bring back the 2 x yearly collections.

3/2/2018 01:09:59 pm

Are u well informed? Are we trying to re invent the wheel? Obviously 2 clear ups a year are not helpful as it means we still have to hoard our rubbish for 6 months or take it to the tip n pay high prices. Or maybe is this the secret intention to direct more money to the waste disposal companies?

Let's not pretend that resident friendly n efficient proven waste disposal systems are not known n need to be found. Just look at Wyong Council n others who provide 6 kerb collections per year. That means an on demand collection every 2 months which means much less hoarding! Also they have only one bin for both glass n paper products meaning less bins n the waste company does the sorting not the residents..
But surely council know these things?? So are they in pretence mode trying to sway in favour of waste company favoured methods ???

4/2/2018 12:19:31 pm

How can u be satisfied with just two cleanups a year? I mean do you have a big house to hoard your rubbish for 6 months? Or do u take it to the tip n pay? Don't u mind whole neighborhoods looking like rubbish dumps for 3 plus days waiting to be cleared?? Won't 6 clearups per year like Wyong Council offers be better for you ??

rose cumming

2/2/2018 07:23:28 am

I would like 2 general clean ups per year. It is a great opportunity for recycling. The current system requires a long wait and is inconvenient. Also people are hesitant to book a clean up if they only have a small amount of rubbish to dispose of

victoria

2/2/2018 07:31:42 am

We prefer the two biannual clean ups please. It gives people the chance to recycle, but also means that the kerbside only looks a mess twice a year rather than piles of rubbish every week from one house or another.
I would also love the Second Hand Saturday as an additional way of being able to recycle goods. Some small operators use these clean ups as a way of making money through looking for saleable waste. Has to be a good thing all round

Suzanne Allison Cairns

2/2/2018 07:36:55 am

Go back to the 2 pick ups a year it encourages recycling and stops people dumping on your pile when you have a collection.

Chris Abbott

2/2/2018 07:51:22 am

When there was 2 pick ups a year there was very minimal dumping on the streets. In Manly people just put stuff out on the street when they don't need it any more and generally it mite go or people throw their unwanted stuff on it.

Mary Watson

2/2/2018 08:04:28 am

Derintely 100% 2 general cleanups a year. Much better for recycling.

2/2/2018 08:37:33 am

Make that ‘definitely’
100% for 2 annual cleanups.
It is heartbreaking seeing things you no longer have room or a need for crushed, when someone else could use them.
It also will stop people dumping on our piles at the last minute.

Julie Bakalor

2/2/2018 08:16:03 am

I'm for 2 general cleanups per year. I find the council's arguments against it unconvincing. I'm aware of plenty of recycling taking place.

John McGrory

2/2/2018 08:18:22 am

Definitely bring back the 2 scheduled general cleanups. Not sure where council gets it's facts from, as my experience is that about 50% of what's put out gets recycled before the council pickup.

Chris

2/2/2018 08:24:27 am

Hoping we get back the twice a year general waste clean up. Tried to book cleanup in November and first available was end of January. So missed out on our "quota" for 2017. Not ok as this service is supposedly included in our rates?

Wayne Collins

2/2/2018 08:25:16 am

Please - go back to what it was - two (2) scheduled general cleanups to each property each year. Reasons:
1. it is effective.
2. it is convenient to residents far more so than having to go through the administrative process of making a single booking and then waiting and waiting for Council to actually come and collect it; and in the meantime others pass by an look and some go and bring back some of their own material.
3. It encourages more "professional" recycler collectors to move along streets and around a scheduled area.
4. Many residents simply don't bother with the existing booked system and "goods" continue to be kept at home.

Maureen Mitchell

2/2/2018 08:47:45 am

I am in favour of two general clean ups a year
I do not like the booking option.

Mike Cottee

2/2/2018 08:53:34 am

Twice-yearly collections worked better and should be reinstated, for the reasons given by other respondents. If people have unwanted possessions, they are bound to be discarded sooner or later.

David Hulme link

2/2/2018 09:26:30 am

Twice a year council clean ups worked really well and I think discourage people from simply dumping rubbish. It was a good and well organised system that we could all plan for and I think we all feel better psychologically when we get rid of stuff don't we? I look forward to it's return if possible.

Henri Quin

2/2/2018 09:47:51 am

The twice yearly cleanups are fun .

Diane Woodcock

2/2/2018 09:53:13 am

Much prefer bi-annual pick ups as it inspires one to get their superfluous belongings together. Bring it on,

John

2/2/2018 09:56:40 am

2 x per year please

Philip Joisce

2/2/2018 09:58:04 am

Prefer bi-annual pick up and suspect it would be cost beneficial to the community to have an organised bulk clearance twice a year instead of random pick ups.

noel carroll

2/2/2018 10:01:17 am

Definitely 2 per year but would good to avoid the "recyclers" who arrive and cut off the electrical plugs (worth $1 to them) of all perfectly good electrical appliances thereby rendering them useless. What a waste!

Julie

2/2/2018 10:26:52 am

2 general clean ups per year worked far better, it allowed for recycling and households had a specific date to work towards.

Evelyn

2/2/2018 10:53:58 am

Please restore the twice yearly clean-up. Good for recyclers and something to aim for - a specific date rather than a general intention to get rid of a particular thing.

John Roper

2/2/2018 11:05:12 am

My preference is for 2 general clean ups per year, as more efficient and encourages recyclying

MARIAN HAMBLY

2/2/2018 11:05:51 am

We much prefer the twice yearly general clean-up. In our part of Manly district there was a great deal of recycling (and entertainment) and no piles of rubbish remained mouldering on the footpath. Under the new system, I absolutely hate seeing piles of perfectly good furniture and household items sneaking out at night, being crushed and going to landfill. We used to recycle abandoned toys to new grandchildren and swap folding beds, garden pots and furniture, and so on. All that sustainable interaction has vanished.

Sharon Dalgleish

2/2/2018 11:48:10 am

Two general clean ups a year, please.

It's heartbreaking to see things that could be reused instead thrown in a rubbish truck and carted off to landfill--which is what happens under the new booking system.

Jennifer (Douglas) prefer just 'Jennifer'

2/2/2018 11:56:04 am

Definitely two general clean ups a year. Looks like all of the above agree!

Ali

2/2/2018 12:30:37 pm

Please bring back the 2 scheduled pick ups for all the reasons already expressed - definitely there was considerable recycling, you did not feel you had to ‘save up’ a decent pile or sneak it out on a Tuesday night for fear of it growing over the specified size

Georgina

2/2/2018 12:39:45 pm

Definitely prefer the two scheduled cleans ups! Much better for recycling as people come from all over Sydney and take what they need. Much for fun for the community too to participate in group recycling efforts. Then what ends up going into the tip is whatever no one else wants or needs. Bring it back!

Robert S

2/2/2018 01:28:41 pm

Definitely two scheduled cleanups / year is much preferred.

Caroline

2/2/2018 02:32:29 pm

The 2 per year scheduled clean-ups work far better for householders and for the environment. Reuse by neighbours is higher; recycling by guys with vans only works when the whole neighbourhood puts out goods at once. Reduce and recycling lead to better use of resources as well as less junk in the tip. The sign-up system requires putting out materials only the night before, which reduces reuse and recycling - wrong incentives.
It's also simpler to put out whatever householders have 2x/ year. Now the tendency is to hold on to small amounts as not worth the call. When we finally do have enough to call and put out goods, it's astonishing how the piles grow at night - I got an entire bed added to my pile last time (among other things).
Please change back to the simpler 2x/year system.

Helen

2/2/2018 03:01:37 pm

I don't know why Manly Council changed a system which had worked well for years. Two scheduled pick-ups per year is definitely much more efficient, effective and environmentally friendly.
Secondhand Saturday is a good idea,
So too was Manly Council's past recommendation for residents to organise their own garage sales on the weekend prior to a scheduled pick-up - several garage sales in the one area would attract more customers.
What doesn't sell can go out in the clean-up!

Andrew Anderson

2/2/2018 03:25:41 pm

Manly Council changed a very good bi-annual general cleanup without asking us ratepayers. Now at least we're getting a say before an almost certain 'situation normal' Council stuff up will prevail.

Xavier Barthelemy

2/2/2018 05:37:16 pm

I am also in favour of 2 clean up a year.
Everyone I know used to roam the street to pick up some pre-loved stuff, and leaving their own out. I have personnaly furnished 2 flats from what people didn't want anymore.
It is also fun to get out with friends to check for new furniture inspiration :)

Aileen McLelland

2/2/2018 06:04:50 pm

Two collections a year is a great system. I got equipment for visiting grandchildren that way and watched neighbours take it when we’d finished with it.

Yvonne

2/2/2018 06:14:39 pm

Definitely two annual general clean-ups. There is so much opportunity to find treasures that others don't want anymore, reducing the amount of stuff that ends up in landfill significantly

Gina Berney link

2/2/2018 06:44:07 pm

Bring back the old system of twice a year scheduled clean ups please.
I put a broken coffee table out the front of my house for a friend to pick up and take to the tip for me and the next morning there was a huge pile of household stuff! I called the council and booked a pick up but it was there for 2 weeks and got bigger by the day!

I think if we had designated days back it help people plan and keep calm and less confused.

Margot Alaba

2/2/2018 07:19:57 pm

Most people who have responded on this issue seem to prefer two scheduled collections per year. On environmental grounds this is the better option, as more items are taken from our streets rather than ending up in landfill. Occasionally it may be inconvenient to store unwanted items until the next collection, but that is a small price to pay.

Sandra Hudspith

2/2/2018 08:57:03 pm

As an apartment dweller . The two booked collections a year has worked well for us . It allows us to pick days that coincide with people moving and other activities in the building .
Many good items can be recycled and go as soon as they hit the path. One mans trash is another's treasure.

Dennis Caldwell

2/2/2018 09:43:54 pm

I much prefer two collections per year as I usually only have a small amount to deposit for the clean up and I do not want to have to schedule a personal collection for an insignificant amount of trash.

Keelah Lam

2/2/2018 10:45:42 pm

Did the 2 call ups actually reduce the amount of items tossed out?
The set dates make it viable to save more out of the piles.
The really sad thing is that PERFECTLY GOOD STUFF IS BEING TOSSED AT ALL.
How about incentives to keep using our old stuff and incentives to keep our old stuff. Council could set up ‘repair cafes’ like Permaculture’s and Marrackville.

Judi LeVine

3/2/2018 08:28:22 am

I prefer the two scheduled clean-ups per year as now it seems that there is ALWAYS unsightly rubbish on the streets. The pre-scheduled clean-ups means that people do pick up items to re-use, which is far better than things just going to the tip. However, I also support the concept of the "repair cafe" and other opportunities for re-using items. The idea of "Street Libraries" is another good one.

Jack Steggall

3/2/2018 07:34:47 am

Sorry to go against what seems to be a tide of opinion preferring the old system, but I find the current system preferable for unit dwellers. Tenants come and go frequently leaving junk and broken furniture with no place to keep the junk on the premises for 6 months. The wait on the current booking system is not long, usually not more than about 3 weeks.

Helen H

4/2/2018 04:36:15 pm

2 kerbside cleanups per year preferred. It's a more effective system.

Brian Gregan

4/2/2018 05:21:44 pm

The twice yearly scheduled service is far preferable.from my perspective as a long time resident

I might add that our clean up service compares poorly to Randwick council which provides :-
4 clean up service per year 2 scheduled and two on demand.
In addition there is a recycling centre open 6 days per week and
there is also a fortnightly green waste collection.
The domestic waste service charge is (under the provisions of the Local Government Act) to cover all costs of providing the service. There can be be no subsidy from the general rate for this service.
Randwicks annual charge is $554
Manly $630
We pay more for a less comprehensive service ?
Perhaps our Council can investigate why there is such a difference

Laura Worley

4/2/2018 09:44:27 pm

Two general clean updates year please

Lesley

5/2/2018 02:40:03 pm

My preference is for 2 scheduled Council clean-ups as I have little recycling & could not justify one of my own. I note that many households are putting out household items marked as "Free" rather than schedule/wait for a council cleanup. My neighbour has had a bed base outside his house for a month which is pretty unsightly.

Oliver

6/2/2018 08:07:35 am

Have a bi-annual council clean up and one booked cleanup per household. Maybe provide a drop off point quarterly.
Cheers

Elizabeth Rush

6/2/2018 09:09:27 am

My preference is for two collections per year rather than having to 'phone and organize a special date. The collection days are known in advance and it isn't hard to store items for up to six months as the time between collections goes so quickly.

Virgina Macleod

10/2/2018 12:56:53 pm

Please revert to twice a year ( former Warringah still has it). We all know when we can through stuff away and it is over and done with. Recyclers take away anything useful and it is worth their while collecting when a half a suburb has rubbish out for a week.Council has to take less to the tip.
Current system does not allow for any reclaiming by council of valuable or recyclable items which means a larger volume goes to landfill. . It also has to be inefficient in time and trucking logistics.

Sheena link

1/5/2023 06:46:32 pm

I concur that recycling does occur while the trash is left on the sidewalk, hence Manly should go back to the two year general clean-ups. Due to poor communication within the block, the current booking system for apartment buildings occasionally only collects the trash from 1 apartment.

Council Clean Ups Under Review

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