Environment Minister Rob Stokes said a government grant of $38,000 will fund a new community recycling centre for problem household wastes.

It will be built at the Bathurst waste management centre.

And the centre is tipped to pave the way for an even more ambitious scheme to establish the city’s first kerbside food and garden waste collection.

“Residents will be able to drop off problem household wastes for free all year round,” Mr Stokes said of the new centre. 

“This facility will be open to residents in Bathurst and surr-ounding rural areas to freely dispose of household problem wastes that cannot be put in the kerbside bins.

“These include paint, gas bottles, smoke detectors, oils, batteries and fluorescent globes.”

Mr Stokes said a second grant of $787,800 would be made available to council, pending the outcome of a regional waste contract currently being assessed.

He said this grant could allow for the roll-out of food and garden waste kerbside collections to thousands of households.

Member for Bathurst and Minister for Local Government Paul Toole was with Mr Stokes at the tip yesterday when the announcement was made.

He commended Bathurst Regional Council on successfully applying for these grants that, he said, will improve waste services for all Bathurst residents.

“The wastes that will now be able to be disposed of represent about 85 per cent of problem wastes collected at the Household Chemical CleanOut events, which collect an average of 737,000 kilograms of chemical wastes each year,” Mr Toole said.

“In addition, if council decide to implement the kerbside organics collection, the grant will facilitate the purchase of more than 11,600 green-lid bins and kitchen caddy bins for householders as well as community education about the new service.”

Bathurst mayor Gary Rush said a better recycling service is good for residents and the environment.

“The new community recycling centre will reduce landfill significantly and provide residents with a free, local and easily accessible location for disposing household waste not suitable for landfill,” Cr Rush said. 

“Bathurst Regional Council, along with seven other regional councils, is considering the introduction of food only or food and garden waste collection pending the outcome of a report to council and the tender process with NetWaste. 

“Our council is committed to reducing the financial impact on residents. 

“Being successful with government grants and working collaboratively with other regional councils puts us in a great position to deliver cost-effective services to the community.”