Curb collectors green light

Residents with a keen eye for upcycling will legally be able to remove and sell items from Albany kerbside collections if changes to the local waste law are adopted by the council this month.

Under the law, first proposed in March, people caught selling items picked up from verges could be fined up to $350.

The law has since been advertised with several amendments made, including changes to kerbside scavenging.

In the recommendations to the City’s development and infrastructure services committee, the clause prosecuting people selling items found on verges during bulk waste collections would be suspended in a bid to promote sustainable waste management.

However, the removal of waste during collections must not increase risk to the public.

“A person must not disassemble or tamper with any waste deposited on a verge for a verge waste collection so as to increase the risk of harm to any person,” the item states.

If deemed to be doing so, the City may enforce a fine of $250 for “disassembling or leaving in disarray waste deposited for collection”.

The Waste Local Law 2017 will provide regulation on all aspects of waste collection, recycling, reuse and disposal.

The item before the council will amend recommendations made by the Department of Local Government and Communities which will ensure property owners and occupiers are not responsible for offences committed by other people without the owner’s knowledge or permission.

These include instances where household waste bins are damaged or destroyed. The DIS committee is set to approve the changes to the next week before the item is endorsed by the council this month.