As a resident of Lake Macquarie, NSW, Australia, I find myself struggling with the current rubbish collection system. Each fortnight, I am left with excess general waste which I then have to transport and pay to dispose of at the only tip in the area - a task that requires me to travel 30 minutes from home. I can only imagine the strain on larger families and families with young children disposing of nappies.

Our current system involves weekly Green waste collection and fortnightly General waste & Recycling. This arrangement is not efficient or practical for many residents like me who generate more general waste than green waste on a weekly basis.

I propose we switch this schedule to weekly General Waste collection and fortnightly Green waste & Recycling. This change would better serve our community's needs and reduce the inconvenience caused by excess general waste. Our neighbouring City of Newcastle already employs this waste collection schedule.

According to an Australian Bureau of Statistics report (2019), households in New South Wales produced approximately 3.4 million tonnes of solid waste during 2016-17 - most of it being general household rubbish rather than green or recyclable material. It's clear that our current collection schedule does not align with these statistics nor does it cater effectively for our community's needs.

By changing the rubbish collection schedule, we can ensure that every resident has their garbage collected efficiently without having to make inconvenient trips to distant disposal facilities themselves. In our current circumstances general waste is left uncollected for up to two weeks causing bins to overflow, producing vile odours and attracting insect infestations. Many residents have taken to disposing of their excess waste in the bins provided in local parks and recreation areas transferring these issues to public spaces designed to be enjoyed by the community.

Please join me in calling on our local council to modify the rubbish collection schedule in Lake Macquarie for better management of household wastes. Sign this petition today!