How Our Waste Services are Funded

Transfer Stations provide drop-off waste and recycling services for all residents and business operators in the South Gippsland Shire. There are six Transfer Stations and one Landfill site — the Koonwarra Landfill (accessed through the Koonwarra Transfer Station). In short, the Transfer Station is where waste and recycling is received and sorted, while the Landfill is where unrecoverable waste is permanently disposed of.

Expenses associated with Transfer Stations and the Landfill include:

• Staffing;
• Equipment;
• Site maintenance;
• Environmental compliance;
• Consolidation and transportation of material to recycling facilities and approved disposal sites;
• The Victorian Government's Waste Levy;
• Landfill construction and rehabilitation costs post its useable life.

Transfer Stations are funded through:

• Waste disposal fees paid by people using the facilities; and
• A contribution from the general rates.

Council currently funds approximately 40 per cent of Transfer Station costs from general reates to help keep disposal charges more affordable for residents. Disposal fees alone do not fully cover operating costs.

The Landfill is funded through two sources:

• The Garbage Charge, which covers the Landfill costs associated with kerbside waste collections (approximately 24 per cent of landfill volume); and
• Waste Disposal Fees, which recover the remaining landfill costs from users who dispose of waste directly.

This approach ensure Landfill costs are shared fairly between kerbside customers and other facility users.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does Council decide if disposal fees need to change?

Each year, Council reviews the operating costs from previous years with forecast changes in costs (like CPI and the Waste Levy) and the revenue from disposal fees. Fees are then adjusted through the annual Budget process to ensure waste services remain financially sustainable.

2. Why should all ratepayers help fund Transfer Stations?

They are an essential public service that benefits the whole community by providing safe and environmentally responsible waste disposal. If disposal fees were increased to cover every operating cost, residents could face significantly higher charges. By contributing through general rates, the community helps keep disposal fees more affordaable while ensuring these faciltiies continue to operate effectively.

3. Does Council provide free Transfer Station passes or vouchers to residents?

No, Council doesn't provide free vouchers or passes because it would be too costly. Ultimately these costs would need to be recovered by adding to everyone's general rates. It may also reduce incentives for people to minimise waste and recycle more. Instead, residents pay according to the amount and type of waste they dispose of. 

4. Are any groups eligible for free waste disposal at Transfer Stations?

Yes, Council may, in some cases, be able to provide a Waste Disposal Privileges Card. If approved, the Card will enable community and fundraising groups to dispose of limited amounts of non-recyclable waste at no cost. There are guidelines that determine which groups are eligible for limited free waste disposal. They are listed below. If after reading these guidelines you think your group may be eligible, please contact Council for an application form.

Eligible groups may qualify for a Waste Disposal Privileges Card if:

• They are disposing of waste resulting from an emergency or natural disaster;
• The waste has been collected during Clean Up Australia Day activities;
• The waste has been collected during community clean-ups on Council-owned or managed property;
• The works carried out by a community group would otherwise have been done by Council; and
• In the case of a fundraising group, the waste has been generated directly as a result of fundraising activities.