Hello,
As the title suggests, this is a two-part proposal: one concerning a potential rate reduction, and the other outlining a seasonal planting initiative.
This proposal is specifically intended for Patrick LA and will appear on the agenda for next month’s meeting. However, the ideas could be adapted and implemented in other areas, depending on the stage of your local waste collection program.
The first item will require some work on our part and this information is clearly to start the ball rolling, while the second is considerably more straightforward.
It has come to my attention that our distant cousins in Norway are currently handling waste more efficiently than we are. Instead of relying solely on individual waste collection, they’ve implemented mini collection centers—typically one per cluster of households.
For example, you might have one centre each for Kirk Patrick, Glen Maye, Dalby, and Foxdale. Waste would be sorted into the following containers:
- Grey: Non-degradable plastics and toxic waste
- Blue: Cartons and paper waste
- Yellow: Glass and metal
- Brown: Degradable Bio Waste
This gives a better explanation of how the separation works https://www.ssn.no/en/housing/garbage-sorting-what-goes-where
As we’ve seen, there is noticeable demand in Dalby for improved recycling, especially following the recent presentation by residents at our meeting. Personally, I rarely fill my bin beyond one-fifth of its capacity. This suggests that a more targeted system—where subcontractors collect only full containers—could be both practical and cost-effective.
Of course, these systems can be electronically triggered to request collection only when attention is needed. While this may require slightly more effort from residents to bring their waste to a designated collection point, the overall effort is modest—and the reward is significant. We’d be able to pass on substantial savings, with waste removal limited to full containers only, and each container correctly processed according to its designated waste type.
Small Set up Picture,
Medium-sized setup: See attached picture below.
Large setup: Too large for us.
Any significant changes would require considerable engagement, possibly even a mini referendum. Of course, some people may be unhappy with this proposed setup.
To explore the topic of waste efficiency and collection in more depth, I recommend reading this article: How Data Is Improving Norwegian Waste Management. It offers valuable insights into how smart sensors and data-driven systems are helping municipalities optimize waste services, reduce unnecessary collections, and improve sustainability.
I don’t think it’s beyond the realm of reason to reduce waste costs by a third. More importantly, this would also future-proof our operations. I’d expect that we’d be able to avoid the large increases in waste management costs currently looming for many local authorities.
Of course, the reduced costs would lead to increased funds—enabling us to carry out some spring planting of bulbs and develop a flower bed or two.