The decision came as Cr Schrinner announced renters would now be included in the city’s free tip voucher scheme, along with larger recycling and green waste bins for residents.
But some have warned the kerbside move could lead to a rise in illegal dumping, with waste management group Boomerang Alliance describing it as a “backwards step”.
The organisation’s Queensland director, Toby Hutcheon, said the approach would be contradictory to the aim of both the council and the state government to reduce waste going to landfill and being dumped in the environment.
“It’s just a great example of ‘what is my trash is someone else’s’ treasure’,” he said.
Mr Hutcheon added that without the program, the council could see a rise in illegal dumping – a concern echoed by the sector’s peak national lobby group.
Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia chief executive Gayle Sloan said without an effort to educate residents about the alternatives there “you will definitely see a rise in illegal dumping”.
“In and of itself that could cost council way, way more ,” she said.
Ms Sloan said some of the $13 million saved could be put into such an awareness campaign, which “could be a good story”.
In 2015, Lifeline business operations manager John Hillier said the costs imposed on his organisation alone as a result of illegal dumping could be up to to $100,000 per year.”
Deputy opposition leader and Morningside councillor Kara Cook labelled the decision as “absolutely appalling in the current climate”.
“We have already had an outpouring of anger from residents about the cutting of kerbside collection and today we have launched a petition for that to be immediately reinstated,” she told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.
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The Labor opposition’s leader, Deagon ward councillor Jared Cassidy, said residents had already been asking about when the service would return.
“We’re all stuck at home, we’re all doing clean-outs at home so that news today is going to be pretty devastating for people I think,” he said.
“Particularly those that don’t have the means to get to their local dump – a lot of people rely on that once a year.”
Cr Cassidy described the scheme as “a real staple” of Brisbane life.
“It’s one of the most basic things that council can do: roads, rates and rubbish,” he said. “And this is an administration that doesn’t really care about providing the basics for Brisbane.”
In his budget speech, Cr Schrinner described the city as a “leader” in waste management and resource recovery.
“Over the last 10 years, there’s been a 40 per cent decrease in the amount of recyclables being placed into the general waste stream,” he said.
“More than 105,000 households now use a green bin, which has led to a 30 per cent reduction in the amount of green waste going into red-top bins.”
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Matt Dennien is a reporter with Brisbane Times.
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