Table 1: Residual waste collection system options

Receptacle characteristics

• MGB sizes 240L, 120L and 80L are most common.
• Smaller MGBs encourage waste minimisation.
• Large MGBs discourage waste reduction.
• Alternative diversion options are necessary when small MGBs are used.
• Ensure the use of existing MGBs is clearly spelt out.
• The MGB asset requires a database to record numbers, location, maintenance details, etc.

• 60L bags are most common.
• Variety of materials - usually purpose-manufactured for refuse collection.
• Bags are easy to distribute.
• Bag size can be reduced as recovery rates rise.

• Useful for multi-tenanted buildings with storage space restrictions.
• Unlikely to be available as a rural option.

• Fitted lid - weather and animal proof.

Frequency of collection

• Weekly or fortnightly, depending on size and other services offered by the principal.

• Weekly.

• Weekly or as required.

• Weekly.

Method of collection

• Appropriate advertising and education are required.
• Health and safety issues are reduced by mechanical lifting of the MGB.  Operators do need to dismount vehicles to realign the MGB, which may have health and safety implications.
• Monitoring of the content of the MGB for potentially hazardous, commercial refuse or green waste can be undertaken with collection vehicle-mounted equipment.

• Manual, using ‘runners’, with associated health and safety issues (eg, traffic hazards).
• Health and safety issues occur from cuts from sharp objects, strain and sprain injuries.
• Overweight bags can be an issue.
• Monitoring of the content of refuse bags is limited to cursory inspection by ‘runners’, and it is often difficult to identify prohibited materials in closed bags.
• There is flexibility of collection method as specialised collection equipment is not required.
• Animal strike occurs.

• Mechanical lifting.
• Access for specialised lifting equipment is required.
• Monitoring of the content of bins for potentially hazardous, commercial refuse or green waste can be undertaken with collection vehicle-mounted equipment.

• Manual, using ‘runners’, with associated health and safety issues.
• Can be mechanically lifted depending on receptacle shape/size.
• Monitoring of the content of receptacles is limited to a cursory inspection by ‘runners’ as they are loaded into the vehicle, usually when it is too late to prevent collection of prohibited materials.

Cost

• There can be significant capital costs depending on the term of the contract and amortisation period of the asset.  Most MGBs have an effective life of 15 years.
• Options for the contractor or principal to own the MGB.
• MGB costs include capital outlay for purchase, servicing of debt if they are purchased under a ‘hire purchase’ arrangement, administration of bin distribution and database management, and recycling of bins at the end of their useful life.  Collection and disposal costs are additional.
• Contractor ownership option, paid for up front or over the term of the contract as a component of the collection rate (with or without a residual amount at the end of the contract).  Ownership is retained by the contractor.  Maintenance of bins and replacements for stolen bins are the contractor’s responsibility.  The MGB is usually transferred to the principal’s ownership at the end of the contract term.
• This option may preclude smaller operators due to the capital requirement.
• There is a principal ownership option - paid for by the principal, who carries the risk.
• Additional costs relate to maintaining and administering an MGB database.

• Well suited to user-pays collections.
• Low cost to consumer compared to MGB.
• Bag costs include receptacle purchase, collection and disposal costs.
• User pays can have the effect in small communities of companies promoting their large MGB service and thus discouraging waste reduction.  User-pays collections also often encourage MGB collectors to offer private collection services in high-density (profitable) areas, leaving the low-density and rural (less profitable) areas to the council collection service.

• It is usual practice to charge for supply of the bin by the collection company.

• Purchased by the resident and reusable.