The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is warning that China’s ban on certain types of recycling material could see all Victorians facing a rate increase above the State-imposed rate cap.
Mr Rob Spence, MAV CEO said he had been meeting with councils, recyclers, collectors, the Minister for Environment, the Treasurer’s office and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning in an effort to help broker a resolution.
“While rural councils have been the most directly affected to date, it has become clear that the impacts will be statewide, with significant cost implications likely for all councils and ratepayers.
“A number of rural councils are already having to consider costly short-term arrangements in order for their recycling services to continue beyond this week.
“With Victoria’s three recycling companies positioning for a statewide price adjustment, we are seeking an outcome that would enable recycling services to continue without a significant cost of living impact on Victorian residents,” he said.
As council waste charges are excluded from the State rate cap, any price adjustment by recyclers is unbudgeted and is passed to households. Councils without a waste charge will have to seek an exemption from the Essential Services Commission.
Mr Spence said the cost implications currently being discussed by recyclers represented a rate increase for affected rural councils of between 1.1 per cent and 2.5 per cent on top of the 2.25 per cent State rate cap, with a similar cost impact expected for metropolitan councils.
“The current situation is a perfect storm resulting from a crash in commodity prices, an increase in recyclable materials collected, and more than a decade of underinvesting Sustainability Fund money by successive state governments into our waste and resource recovery industry, amongst other factors.
“We are calling on the Victorian Government to provide assistance to councils until 30 June so that councils are not forced to pull funding from other essential services or send recyclable material to landfill.
“Significant investment in the recycling industry is also essential to help strengthen our system, and protect jobs and the environment. The State’s landfill levy income held in the Sustainability Fund should be urgently allocated for these purposes.”
