The Roxby Downs Environment Forum has proposed the council adopt a three-bin kerbside recycling system for households to reduce waste going to landfill.
Forum co-chairperson Kristina Meredith said the forum met monthly with the council discussing local issues.
Loose rubbish from wheelie bins has been raised several times.
One solution is to introduce a three-bin-system where residents can separate different wastes.
“The forum would like to see a three-bin kerbside recycling system in Roxby Downs,” Ms Meredith said.
“However we do appreciate that there is a lot of infrastructure needed to put this in place, and we are willing to help out where necessary to see this idea come to fruition.
“The environment forum has however been keeping up the pressure.
“A three-bin system would make recycling easier for households, but in the meantime the forum is trying to encourage changes in attitudes when it comes to recycling.
Roxby Downs Council works manager Peter Keller said it was “not possible, but probable” that council would adopt the system in the future but could not give an estimated time frame.
“Before the economic melt down it may have been feasible to take a lot of our plastics and stuff to Adelaide … but the problem is even in Adelaide, quite a few of it goes into landfill, and it doesn’t make sense to send our landfill to their landfill.”
“As things get back on track and the economy builds up … I’m pretty sure it will happen in the future.”
Mr Keller said the council was also looking into a two-bin system because green waste was not common in Roxby.
“I’m not saying there’s no green waste but there’s not much of it so it could possibly be a two-bin system.”
Mr Keller said certain wastes were segregated on site including oils, steel, white goods, green waste, and batteries.
He also noted that households could have two bins if they wanted to, but there was a cost involved with the company contracted to manage waste.
Until then the council is encouraging residents to be careful when filling wheelie bins.
“There is no excuse for overfilling bins, in some cases we have found empty boxes still in box form and not broken down taking up most of the space … if people were more careful with how they filled their bins it would probably solve half the problem.”
The council provide spare wheelie bin lids and pins to help reduce rubbish spreading.
The free rubbish disposal at the Opal Road site is open every day from 1pm to 6pm.
Mr Keller said a consultant company was undertaking a cost analysis and feasibility of the system, and the council had been waiting for its findings for about six months so far.
Environment forum member and avid recycler, Sophie Torrisi, said the forum had been lobbying the council for years to adopt the system.
“I don’t understand why Port Augusta, a town two-and-a-half hours away can have a three-bin system but Roxby Downs doesn’t,” she said.
“I’ve never met anyone who does not want to recycle, people are wanting to do it but they can’t.
“There is a recycling depot on Gosse Street but not everyone has the time to do it, but if you had an allocated recycle bin you might be inclined to separate your rubbish.
“After years of lobbying we are hoping that this year is the year for action.”
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