Perth plan for GPS tags on bins
The City of Perth is considering electronically tagging bins so they can be monitored by GPS, reviewing public bin placement and requiring developers to have a waste management plan under a major shake-up of its waste strategy.
It will also investigate the use of underground vacuum collection, in-ground bins and bigger bins to handle waste management in the inner city's 68 laneways, where revitalisation efforts have made traditional waste storage and collection more difficult.
The proposed reforms, outlined in the city's 10-year waste strategy, are intended to help the city meet State Government targets for recycling and recovery.
Perth currently diverts 18 per cent of municipal solid waste and 9 per cent of commercial and industrial waste from landfill.
The Government's best-practice targets are to divert 50 per cent of municipal waste by next year, increasing to 65 per cent by 2020, and 55 per cent of commercial and industrial waste, rising to 70 per cent in the same period.
Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi said the city aimed to be innovative and address changing needs, including a growing population.
"It's a 10-year strategy and will involve new precincts in city plus post-reform needs," she said.
Preliminary implementation costs associated with the strategy are estimated at $50,500 for 2013-14, rising to $688,500 in 2014-15, $485,500 in 2015-16 and $875,000 for 2016-17.
The strategy is expected to be adopted at tonight's council meeting.
Other items to be considered by the council tonight include plans to increase parking fees and a proposal to allow taxis to temporarily use a redundant bus lane on Barrack Street as an express route out of the city.
The bus lane is deemed unnecessary because most northbound bus services, except for CAT services, have been moved to William Street and planned works to convert Barrack Street back to a two-way road are at least 12 months away.
