In Summary
- Council will introduce a Hard Waste Collection Service from 1 July 2026, offering residents two 3m³ nature strip collections per year.
- The service aims to improve community access to waste disposal, particularly for those unable to travel to local Resource Recovery Centres.
- The initiative supports Council’s landfill diversion targets and helps reduce the impact of the 28% EPA Levy increase taking effect from 1 July 2025.
- Council will now begin a procurement process and community engagement to prepare for the rollout of the new service.
The introduction forms part of Council’s commitment to ensuring its provision of waste services meets State Government requirements, while considering the needs of the community now and into the future.
The Hard Waste Collection Service will provide residents with two 3m3 collections (total of 6m3 per year) from the nature strip, equating to six trips to the Resource Recovery Centre based on the average transaction volume of 1m3. The convenience of a nature strip collection allows residents to avoid time spent loading their vehicle, travelling to a Resource Recovery Centre within the region, disposing of the material and any return travel.
Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, said the introduction of the service followed an extensive review of Council’s current Resource Recovery operations.
“Council undertook a review of its waste operations to identify opportunities for improvement of our services and infrastructure,” he said.
“In doing so, Council wanted to improve the level of service to ratepayers and customers, improve landfill diversion outcomes to align with state targets, and improve our net financial position. The introduction of a Hard Waste Collection Service is a win for residents, but also a win for Council in helping achieve these resource recovery targets.
“The service provides residents who may not have the means to travel to one of the Resource Recovery Centres, the opportunity to appropriately dispose of their items.”
The introduction follows the EPA Levy increase of 28 per cent from 1 July 2025. Council must implement changes to landfill diversion for non-kerbside bin items to combat this increase. A Hard Waste Collection Service can achieve up to 60 per cent recovery rate of materials, facilitating improved landfill diversion objectives and mitigating the financial burden of materials being sent to landfill.
“This is a significant culture change to waste management in our community; however, it is one which will bring great benefit to residents, ratepayers and Council’s overall resource recovery operations,” Cr Sali said.
“For Council to fulfil its potential as a key strategic regional hub within the State Government’s waste management and resource recovery network, it is critical we identify ways in which the recovery of resources can be maximised.”
Council Officers will now undertake an open tender procurement process to ensure best value for money is achieved through an experienced contractor, to implement this new service in Greater Shepparton. Community engagement will also be undertaken to inform residents of the new service.
For more information, phone Council on 5832 9700 or email council@shepparton.vic.gov.au
