Still waiting for your new bins? Here’s what to do
The Murray Bridge council has clarified its bin change-over process for residents amid widespread confusion.
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Thousands of old bins have been left out on streets around Murray Bridge this week by residents confused about change-over instructions from the city’s council.
The council has been forced to clarify that this is what you should do:
- Keep using your old bins as normal until your new bins arrive
- New bins will be delivered to addresses around Murray Bridge throughout May, and possibly as late as early June
- Start using your new bins as soon as you get them
- On the first collection day after that, wheel the old ones out to the kerb – they should be collected within a few days
Council CEO Heather Barclay acknowledged that there had been a bit of confusion with the roll-out of new bins to all households and businesses.
She and other council staff were working hard to make things clearer for people, she said.
Maps showing when different neighbourhoods could expect to receive their new bins would soon be published on the council’s social media channels.
Staff would also host pop-up information sessions at Murray Bridge Marketplace in the near future.
However, the bin roll-out would take a few weeks, she warned: “We’ve got 30,000 bins to deliver and 30,000 to collect.”
Any residents who miss out on having their old bins collected should contact the council.
Bin roll-out was poorly communicated, councillor says
At a meeting on Monday night, Councillor Tom Haig criticised the bin roll-out as “well intentioned but poorly communicated”.
Residents had not been clear about either the timing of the roll-out or the procedure they were meant to follow, he said.
“Hot on the heels of the communication stuff-up on the proposed east side CWMS, then the community debate we had about changing our rate structure, now we have this,” he said.
“This is probably as much to do with the waste contractor, Solo, as anything, but the (promotional) literature came from the council.”
An April 11 media release from the council – which led to this story – did not mention the fact that residents would be able to keep using their old bins until the new ones arrived.
Even a May 1 advertisement may have caused confusion: while it clearly said “new bins will start rolling in next week”, the words “rolling in next week” were much bigger and brighter.
The council originally announced the new bin roll-out back in January, though only after a sharp-eyed local posted a photo of thousands of bins on a community Facebook group.
Residents will not have to pay extra for the new bins.
Green bins will continue to be used for organic waste and yellow for recycling; the new red bins will replace the blue bins previously used for ordinary rubbish.
- More information: Visit www.murraybridge.sa.gov.au or follow the Rural City of Murray Bridge on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
- Get help: Contact Solo Resource Recovery on 8295 5077or email adelaide.ops@solo.com.au.
