With just over a month to go before the controversial waste levy takes effect in Mount Isa, Council is urging commercial operators and businesses to start separating waste loads before taking them to the Waste Management Facility.
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The levy kicks in on July 1 and affects landfill operators (local councils and private businesses) who will pay the levy to the Queensland government based on the amount of waste disposed of to landfill.
The government has left it up to councils and other landfill operators to determine how the levy is passed through to customers and Mount Isa City Council Director of Compliance and Utilities Services Jake Hart said businesses should getting into the habit of separating waste loads as often as possible.
"By doing this, commercial operators may end up paying significantly less of a waste levy charge than if they brought in a mixed load," Mr Hart said.
"For instance, green waste - such as lawn clippings or tree cuttings - will attract a lower levy amount than industrial or commercial waste, or demolition and construction waste, and so should, wherever possible, be separated from these."
Council said recyclables such as metals, e-waste, batteries and clean cardboard will not attract the Waste Levy at the facility and Mayor Joyce McCulloch said they were committed to minimise the impact of the levy.
"While the levy was forced upon this Council by the State Government, we are determined that it will not directly impact on residential ratepayers," Cr McCulloch said.
"Those who bring residential self-hauled rubbish to the facility will only have to pay the normal gate fee and nothing more."
The North West Star has asked Council for further details around what charges will be passed on to businesses from July 1.
Council unsuccessfully argued to be excluded from the levy due to the remoteness of Mount Isa and the volume of waste generated.
Environment minister Leeanne Enoch rejected criticism saying the levy was agreed with the LGAQ and Mount Isa was late in applying to the $5 million Levy Ready Grant Program.
"The Queensland Government is providing councils - like Mount Isa - with advance payments to ensure they do not have to pass on the cost to ratepayers," Ms Enoch said.
Council now says this is an ideal time for businesses to conduct clean-ups and take anything they no longer need to the tip before the levy is implemented and there was another waste amnesty weekend planned for residential rubbish on the weekend of June 1 and 2.
Rubbish accepted includes whitegoods, greenwaste, mattresses, scrap furniture, timber products, tyres (up to four per household), engine oil, batteries, rubble and general junk.
The first waste amnesty in March saw 700 locals dispose of 123 tonnes of rubbish at the facility for free.
The facility is open from 7.30am to 4.45pm, seven days a week.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
