FAQ

Formal submissions relating to the Tyalgum Waste Transfer Station closed on Friday 24 January 2014. 

Following the community conversation held on 15 January 2014, a report was drafted compiling all the feedback received from the community.  

That report was presented to Council at its 20 February 2014 meeting, where Council resolved to defer the matter to the to 10 April 2014 Council meeting.

If a resolution is made to close the facility, a reasonable period of notice will be provided to Tyalgum residents before closure.  

The proposal to close the waste transfer station has been informed by a number of factors, including:

• Low usage of the facility due to the expansion of Council's domestic bin collection service; and 
  
  
• Poor economic return - the site is currently operating at a substantial cash deficit, costing over $70,000 a year to run, but generating an income of just $9000 per year, an average of $175 per weekend.

The site is currently operating at a substantial deficit, costing over $70,000 in outgoings alone.  

A  financial evaluation of the facility shows a current return of just $9000 per year, an average $175 per weekend, and this has been falling.  

 Source:  Tweed Shire Council 2013

Stotts Creek Resource Recovery Centre:  This facility is the main landfill and resource recovery centre for the Tweed Shire.  It can accept general solid waste, construction waste, asbestos and a wide range of recyclable items.

Map and directions  |   List of domestic and commercial charges

Household cleanup service: A biennial (twice a year) collection is available to all Tweed residents who receive a bin collection service, to assist in the disposal of unwanted bulky items.  Collection of these materials are provided from the location that residents put their bins (usually in front of each property or at an agreed collection point). Details of this service are provided on the Council website.

Recyclable items: Free drop off of recyclable items to the Stotts Creek Resource Recovery Centre.  This facility is accessible year-round (closed Christmas day and Good Friday) to all Tweed residents.  Items that may be disposed of include: 

• household recycling (eg. glass bottles, plastic containers and bottles, paper, cardboard, metal tins)
• large metal items (eg. derelict cars through to whitegoods)
• paint and household chemicals
• electrical waste
• batteries
• empty gas bottles
• compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and fluoro light globes
• farm chemical containers (DrumMuster)

Domestic and commercial services:

• All domestic properties are provided with a 240L recycling bin, with the option to expand this to a 360L bin or order additional services at a reasonable cost.  
• Single residential dwellings are able to order additional recycling services at a reduced rate.
• Commercial properties have the ability to order recycling wheelie bins through Council (240L or 360L).

Stotts Creek Resource Recovery Centre: 

Free drop off of recyclable items is available year-round to all Tweed residents (closed Christmas day and Good Friday).  Items that may be disposed of include: 

• household recycling (eg. glass bottles, plastic containers and bottles, paper, cardboard, metal tins)
• large metal items (eg. derelict cars through to whitegoods)
• paint and household chemicals
• electrical waste
• batteries
• empty gas bottles
• compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and fluoro light globes
• farm chemical containers (DrumMuster)

Dumping unwanted household items and green waste is illegal and subject to an on the spot penalty of $750. 

Council rangers have the ability to undertake investigations and covert surveillance in areas, which has led to the prosecution of illegal dumpers.  Council also relies on community support to manage the problem of illegal dumping across the shire.

Given that the current usage of the Tyalgum Waste Transfer Station is limited to just a couple of customers every weekend, and that a number of alternatives for waste collection and/or disposal are offered by Council, it is not envisaged that any future closure of the facility will result in an increase in illegal dumping.

Further informaiton is provided on the Illegal Dumping and Littering page of Council's website.

At its meeting of 21 November 2013, Council resolved to: 

'seek(s) further consultation on the proposal in relation to the options regarding the closure of the transfer station and the proposed scenic lookout'. 

One of Council's key objectives in undertaking further consultation is to provide an opportunity for the Tyalgum community to share their ideas and preferences for the future use of the site. 

The establishment of a scenic lookout is one suggestion that has been raised by the community and by Council as a possible option. 

All feedback received during the consultation period will be presented in a report to Council for its consideration in February 2014.