Team Gash’s lead candidate and ex director John Wells has claimed that green waste was mostly water and that Shoalhaven City is paying tax on water when green waste is put in the red bin.
However Greens Councillor and Mayoral candidate Amanda Findley has declared that Mr Wells’ is talking rubbish.
“John Wells has fabricated figures on green waste in Shoalhaven, his 80% water is just utter nonsense unless all green waste in the city is lettuce’ said Findley.
Council’s waste tender was a hotly debated issue with green bins at the forefront. Councillor Findley supported retaining the current system, citing that any environmental gains were lost on having more trucks, more bins and more cost to ratepayers.
‘ The percentage of green waste put in the household red bin is less than 20%, as a city we could do better ‘ concedes Amanda but notes that methane generated from rotting waste such as garden scraps is collected and turned into energy. The methane to energy project means that Shoalhaven Council doesn’t pay carbon tax on its tipping operations.
“Many of our residents don’t want to pay more on their rates for a green bin that they simply won’t use, Council offers other services that put householders in charge of their waste spending rather than a blanket new fees in the rates.
“ It’s very different in Sydney, they have high density areas, it doesn’t cost as much to get waste trucks from one place to another and mega waste recycling facilities are shared by multiple Councils which spreads the cost burden.”
“When it comes time for Shoalhaven Council to build a new tip-no one will want it in their area so we all have a responsibility to minimise our waste to landfill and extend the life of our tip”.
In this next term of Council I will support a free green waste tipping trial, a neighbourhood chipping program and a continuation of Councils very successful home composting program”. Said Cllr Findley.
Shoalhaven Greens 