7 January 2022

Free food waste disposal and additional green waste collection for Belconnen community following storm

| James Coleman
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Green bin on kerbside

Additional green waste collection services are scheduled in many Belconnen suburbs on Saturday, 8 January, 2022. Photo: File.

The ACT Government is providing free food waste disposal for residents in Belconnen who have experienced power outages and spoiled food following the destructive storm that swept through Canberra on Monday, 3 January, 2022.

ACT Deputy Director-General of Transport Canberra and City Services Ben McHugh said Belconnen residents who have been impacted are welcome to take household quantities of spoiled food – at no charge – to transfer stations at Mitchell and Mugga Lane resource management centres.

“From Friday, 7 January, until Saturday, 15 January, 2022, Belconnen residents can dispose of food waste at the Mitchell and Mugga Lane transfer stations, up to a medium sized load (a sedan with trailer, a utility or a wagon),” he said.

This fee waiver applies to spoilt food waste as a result of the power outages, but not for the disposal of other items.

READ ALSO More than 1000 homes and businesses still without power in ACT as another storm rolls in

This initiative is in addition to the skip bin for food waste that has been arranged at the community information hub at the ACT Rural Fire Service Molonglo Brigade located at 27 Drake Brockman Drive in Higgins.

Mr McHugh also reminded the community to look out for each other following the storm damage.

“For those members in the community who may experience difficulties with transport, we ask people to please check in with their neighbours as well as family and friends if they can provide some assistance in delivering household quantities of food waste to the Mugga Lane site,” he said.

Mr McHugh also reminded Belconnen residents who have been hardest hit from the storm that an extra green waste bin service will be in place tomorrow (Saturday, 8 January, 2022).

Fallen tree from storm in Belconnen

One of many trees brought down in Belconnen by the storm on Monday, 3 January, 2022. Photo: Melanie Broadbent.

The suburbs that will receive the additional green waste bin collection tomorrow are Charnwood, Dunlop, Florey, Hawker, Holt, Latham, Macgregor, Scullin and Weetangera.

Residents are reminded that household green waste can also be dropped off for free at Corkhill Bros at Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre in Symonston between 7:30 am and 4:45 pm daily (charges apply to branches or trees larger than 200 mm in diameter and/or 2000 mm in length), as well as at Canberra Sand and Gravel on Parkwood Road in Macgregor between 7:30 am and 4:45 pm daily.

Canberrans are also reminded that removal of storm damaged trees and debris on private land is the responsibility of the landowner.

Residents are requested not to place fallen material from their property on their nature strip. Government tree maintenance and clean-up resources are directed to damaged tree and debris removal on public land and there is no capacity to remove material from residential blocks.

READ ALSO Instead of splashing about, how about Canberra develop a swimming pool strategy?

It has been a wild couple of days in Canberra with the ACT State Emergency Service receiving nearly 800 calls for help following the storm on Monday afternoon.

More than 1000 homes are still without power.

Crews are working hard to attend jobs as quickly as possible. Staff and volunteers from the ACT Emergency Services Agency are being supported by Transport Canberra and City Services, the NSW State Emergency Service, and ACT Policing Search and Rescue.

ACT Emergency Services will prioritise any new requests for assistance based on severity and risk to the community.

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