26 Jun 2009 - Shelley Burne-Field

Council Rubbish Bags

These will not be delivered to your home. You may buy Council rubbish bags from your local council office, library or from your local dairy of supermarket at a recommended retail price of $1.50 each.

Rubbish Bags

Rubbish bags will no longer be delivered to properties in Central Hawke's Bay - instead, citizens may buy the Council rubbish bags from local supermarkets, dairies, libraries and Council offices at a recommended retail price of $1.50 each (which includes collection in designated areas).

The move has come about as the District Council moves towards a fairer user pays system for refuse disposal in the district.

There are people in Central Hawke's Bay who recycle so much, they never use the 52 bags they're given, and Council often gets submissions asking if people could simply buy the number of bags they use.  So that's what Council's done.  The refuse rate for each property entitled to a collection has decreased by $65.00, and people now have the choice to buy zero or one hundred Council bags as they're needed.

NB:  You can also buy a Council rubbish bag for $1.50 and dispose of smaller amounts of rubbish at the transfer station for no extra charge.

There was some concern in the community that people still wanted the convenience of the bags being delivered to their front door, but the deliveries had become expensive and bags were also being stolen off doorsteps, which was another reason to change the system.