Your choice of rubbish bags 0 or 100?

Rubbish bags will no longer be delivered to properties in Central Hawke’s Bay – instead, citizens may buy the Council rubbish bags from local supermarkets, dairies, libraries and Council offices at a recommended retail price of $1.50 each (which includes collection in designated areas).

The move has come about as the District Council moves towards a fairer user pays system for refuse disposal in the district.

“We have people in Central Hawke’s Bay who recycle so much, they never use the 52 bags they’re given, and we often get submissions asking if people could simply buy the number of bags they use. So that’s what Council’s done. The refuse rate for each property entitled to a collection has decreased by $65.00, and people now have the choice to buy zero or one hundred Council bags as they’re needed,” said Mayor Trish Giddens.

“You can also buy a Council rubbish bag for $1.50 and dispose of smaller amounts of rubbish at the transfer station for no extra charge,” she said.

There was some concern in the community that people still wanted the convenience of the bags being delivered to their front door, but Council CE, John Freeman, says the deliveries had become expensive and bags were also being stolen off doorsteps, which was another reason to change the system.