Muswellbrook Shire Council has finalised changes to bulky waste collection, giving residents greater flexibility over when they dispose of large household items from October this year.
Mayor Jeff Drayton said pickups would increase from two to four times a year, allowing residents to book a collection during any of the four periods, or self-haul their bulky waste to the council depot free of charge instead.
“The aim is to give residents a bit more control over when they dispose of their bulky waste and household items, rather than having to wait for a scheduled pick-up,” Drayton said.
Households will be able to choose two council pickups, two self-haul trips, or a combination of both across the year. Drayton said the rules around specific items, such as requiring fridges to be degassed, remained unchanged from previous pickups. Further details, including how vouchers will be delivered, will be provided closer to the October launch, with council finalising contractors for the service.
Drayton said the changes were a direct response to community feedback about bulky waste piling up on nature strips for extended periods.
“We had had enough of bulky waste sitting around on someone’s front lawn for months and months at a time,” he said, adding council had taken a tougher approach to illegal dumping in recent months with positive results.
The annual mattress and tyre drop-off will also be included.
The new bulky waste services will be available at both the Muswellbrook and Denman waste facilities.
