Council Policy On Rubbish Collection

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30886, 20 October 1965, Page 22

Council Policy On Rubbish Collection

Under the city by-laws refuse was classified according to its origin rather than its nature, and the City Council’s refuse collection was provided primarily to deal with household refuse, said the City Engineer (Mr P. G. Scoular) yesterday. He was commenting on two letters to the editor of “The Press.”

“Disgruntled Rubbish Tin” asked for a definition of household refuse, and said that for two weeks he had been trying to get his rubbish tins emptied of various oddments collected in an attempt to tidy an unkempt garden.

“If there was a definite ruling on what type of rubbish is exempt it would facilitate matters.” the correspondent said. “As it is, there are disproportionately high rates in relations to actual services rendered to householders by Che council. Part of its service should be the surveillance and study of individual householders’ needs.

“Rubbish-disposal dumps could well be introduced for each suburb. As it is, there are too few rubbish dumps,

and many householders are left with a clutter of odd articles which the council could help them to remove, thereby encouraging a public interest in keeping our city tidy.” The second correspondent, “£lO and costs,” said a list had been printed of persons convicted of depositing refuse in a public place.

“I have a lawn in front of my flat with a border outside the stone fence, and to make the place look attractive I plant flowers to make the street tidy. At this time of the year there is quite a lot of grass clippings, and weeds collect. What should I do with these? Am I in order in putting these on the street for the refuse cart to gather up? At this time of the year it passes down the street at least once a week.” Removal at Cost

Garden refuse and builders’ refuse had never been on the “free” list, Mr Scoular said. His department would remove this type of refuse at cost if trucks and men were available: but with the department’s present commitments this was rarely the case. Several carriers specialised in this class of work.

“It is quite expensive to purchase land and operate a controlled tip,” Mr Scoular continued. “Even if the council was prepared to meet this additional cost, it is practically impossible to find suitable sites for refuse tips in most suburbs, as it is generally agreed that such tips should not be close to dwellings.

“The majority of residents in the metropolitan area do not have any trouble in finding and using the tips the various local bodies orovjde."

The City Council’s tip at Rowan avenue was open on Saturday mornings and would accept household refuse free then, Mr Scoular continued. Some county councils also kept tips open during the week-end and a charge, if any. was only nominal

If “Disgruntled Rubbish Tin" was within the city, Mr Scoular advised him to tele phone the nearest council yard. He could be assured of a courteous discussion of his problem and some practical advice on how it could be dealt with, he said.

The council co-operated with citizens who mowed the grass berms outside their homes, and if there was any misunderstanding on this it could generally be removed by a telephone conversation with the nearest works yard.