Managing Household Waste Policy

Purpose of policy

1.1 Purpose

The Managing Household Waste Policy outlines Homes NSW position on the management of household waste across its asset portfolio.

1.2 Background

Local councils include standard domestic waste collection services in their annual rate charges paid by registered property owners, including Homes NSW.

Homes NSW is committed to reducing the quantity of waste that goes into landfill and supports council recycling efforts to improve environmental outcomes.

All Homes NSW owned and/or managed dwellings, as well as properties under short term leases to Community Housing Providers (CHP’s) receive their local council’s standard household waste collection as a regular utility.

2 Definitions

The table below is a list of terms, keywords and/or abbreviations used throughout this document.

3 Scope

This policy applies to all properties managed by Homes NSW including properties owned by the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO); and Homes NSW properties leased to Community Housing Providers (CHPs) under short term leases.

This policy does not apply to head-leased properties.

4 Legislation

This Managing Household Waste Policy was developed in accordance with:

• Housing Act 2001
• Residential Tenancies Act 2010 NSW (RTA) and Regulations
• Terms of the Residential Tenancy Agreement.

EPA NSW legislation and compliance

• Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997
• Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2001
• Local government council initiatives to reduce domestic waste going to landfill.

5 Policy Statement

Local councils provide waste collection services within their local government area (LGA). These services generally consist of three coloured bins; red for general rubbish; yellow for recycling; and green for garden waste or Food Organics, Garden Organics (FOGO) services.

Multi-unit complexes are provided with bin facilities, including communal skip bins in larger multi storey unit complexes. Regular cleaning and maintenance of common areas is part of Homes NSW routine maintenance program.

Some local councils have introduced Food Organics, Garden Organics (FOGO) as part of their regular waste collection service.  This service aims to reduce the amount of waste going to land fill and provides residents with more options for separating their waste.  Areas where FOGO is in operation, will have the green lid garden bin now operate as the FOGO bin. FOGO bins are for garden vegetation as well as things like food scraps, meat bones, dairy, stale bread, old fruit and vegetable peelings.

5.1 Tenant Responsibilities

Tenants are responsible for managing their individual household waste by:

• placing waste in the correct bin to avoid cross-contamination of waste.
• ensuring that their bins are working properly with closing lids to deter vermin activity.
• correctly disposing of excess and bulky household waste including the use of local council collection services where available.

5.2 Waste Collection

The frequency of waste collection varies from council to council, but is generally:

• Weekly/fortnightly collection of general domestic household waste red-lidded bins
• Weekly/fortnightly collection of recyclable waste yellow-lidded bins; and
• Weekly/fortnightly collection of green waste green-lidded bins (for properties with individual gardens).

Where Food Organics, Garden Organics (FOGO) services have been introduced, the red general domestic bin is reduced to fortnightly collections and the green lidded FOGO bin is collected weekly.

Contact your local council with queries about frequency of collection in your area and for replacement of damaged or stolen bins.

5.3 Provision of additional waste bins

Requests for additional waste allowances above the standard service provided by local councils is considered on a case-by-case basis and requires approval from Homes NSW.

Contact your local Client Service Officer for further information.

5.4 Unwanted Household Items

Household waste and unwanted items cannot be abandoned in or around a property either throughout, or at the end of a tenancy.

Most councils also include additional kerbside collection of specific waste types, including bulky waste. These are usually scheduled throughout the year or by booked appointment at no extra cost. These collections are useful when ending a tenancy or relocating, prior to vacant possession. Information about additional waste collections can be found on local council websites or by calling local council information officers.

When booking bulk kerbside collections with your local council, ensure that any items to be disposed of meet council requirements.

If the items do not meet the council requirements tenants can take them to a Resource Recovery Centre (a council tip). Fees may apply.

5.5 Household waste not suitable for kerbside collection

Community recycling centres and chemical clean-out events are drop off points for common household problem waste such as household chemicals, paint, gas bottles, motor oils, batteries, fluorescent light globes and car tyres. These items are not collected by council kerbside waste and recycling collection services.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority has further information on household recycling.

Illegal dumping of any waste is a crime and should be reported to local councils or EPA Environment Line on 131555.

6 Support and advice

Advice and support about this policy can be obtained from:

• Portfolio Management (Assets) Division. Refer to the Homes NSW for contact information.

7 Appealing decisions or actions

Many decisions made by Homes NSW can be reviewed and appealed. If a tenant or applicant disagrees with a decision concerning managing household waste, they should first contact their Homes NSW Client Service Officer to discuss the matter. If you are still not satisfied, you can ask for the decision to be reviewed. A review is a formal process that checks whether the right decision has been made on a matter. For more information about how reviews work visit the appeals and reviewing decisions page.