Tweed householders will soon be able to use asbestos test kits at $45 per kit to allow them to sample material for identification.
Tweed Shire Council is set to place on public exhibition its plan for the testing kits in a scheme which other northern rivers councils are participating in.
If the test does identify asbestos containing material (ACM), council says residents may then make an informed decision when undertaking any renovation or repairs at their home.
As part of updating its waste policy, council is also proposing to introduce smaller (140-litre) mobile bins for organics collection with a $75 so residents have a choice with the larger 240-litre green-lid bins available since July last year at an annual fee of $80 for 52 collections.
Council staff say that since introducing the service, it had received a number of requests for a smaller 140-litre organics bin from people generating small quantities of organic waste or who had difficulty handling the larger 240-litre bin.
They say the contract rate for collection of the 240-litre organics bin is 74 cents per collection, while the 140-litre organics bin will be 73 cents per collection and processing costs at the Stotts Creek Resource Resource Centre.
The proposed bin costs-recovery charge was placed on public exhibition and received one submission in relation to the 140-litre green bin.
In their report, staff said ‘this submission was from council’s supervisor of customer service who recommended some additional bin size options and improved operational efficiencies’.
They said council’s waste management unit will negotiate those recommendations with its waste collections contractor who will be supplying the 140-litre organics bin and coordinating any uptake of the service.
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