Recycling resumes in Hobsons Bay

By Goya Dmytryshchak

Kerbside recycling will resume in Hobsons Bay from Monday, two months after the collapse of the council’s contracted recycler SKM.

Recyclables collected from yellow bins will be taken to SKM’s former Laverton North plant after receivers KordaMentha entered an interim agreement with the council.

Mayor Jonathon Marsden said the arrangement was temporary and short term but would remain until further notice.

“We are still working hard on a long-term solution, however, in the meantime this interim agreement will put an end to our recycling going to landfill,” he said.

It follows the collapse of SKM Recycling, which was declared insolvent by the Supreme Court on August 2.

The company’s closure has forced more than 30 Victorian councils to come up with alternative recycling solutions.

Cr Marsden urged residents to ensure their recyling bins were not contaminated or otherwise their materials could end up in landfill.

“For Hobsons Bay, the biggest change to what was previously allowed is that we will no longer be able to recycle soft plastics, toys, CD and DVD cases in our yellow bins,” he said.

“Aluminium foil is also not able to be recycled.”

Coles and Woolworths supermarkets accept flexible plastics for recycling.

Hobsons Bay residents are being advised to put the lids from plastic bottles and containers in their rubbish bins and to remove metal lids from glass jars and bottles before recycling.

Residents can drop off recyclables at the council’s Altona operations centre in Sugar Gum Drive for the last time this Saturday, between 8am and 2pm.