Lismore residents are being asked to comment on a revised waste strategy as Council works towards diverting rubbish from landfill while leaving its long-term disposal options unresolved.
Consultation on the revised Resource Recovery and Residual Waste Strategy 2022–2032 opened on October 13 and closes on November 6.
The draft records an overall landfill diversion rate of 58.3 per cent in 2025–26, against a target of 80 per cent by 2030–32.
It incorporates findings from an external review of Council’s waste services and adds a focus on financial sustainability, customer service and measurable performance.
‘We will continue to investigate cost effective and environmentally responsible alternatives to landfilling,’ the draft states.
Proposed investigations include free drop-off events for bulky goods, possible reinstatement of a waste voucher system and technologies for managing waste that cannot be avoided, reused or recycled.
The strategy also identifies opportunities to recover more food scraps, recyclables and textiles currently entering general waste.
It does not approve a new landfill, select a location or commit Council to a waste-to-energy facility.
Council’s previous landfill investigation pathway was paused following a June resolution, while broader options and opportunities for regional collaboration are examined.
That work included investigations into Blakebrook Quarry, which attracted community opposition.
The revised strategy seeks to extend the life of the current landfill while developing longer-term solutions with neighbouring councils.
Residents are encouraged to read the draft before completing the consultation survey.
Future disposal decisions will require further investigation, community engagement and consideration of costs and environmental impacts.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
