NetWaste representatives visited Cobar recently and were impressed by infrastructure improvements at Cobar Waste Depot.
In the last year council has installed 3.2km of fencing, constructed a waste oil drop off area and installed new signage.
The waste oil and battery drop off area is just inside the main gate in a prominent location.
The new area means waste machinery oil and batteries can be left under a shelter, with the oil permitted to be left in its original container or drained into the provided disposal facility.
Cobar Shire Council’s manager of planning and environmental services Stephen Poulter said private contractors will pick up the oil and batteries and take them to be recycled.
Mr Poulter also reported that council’s current waste “cell” system at the depot will see two of the “cells” combined in coming weeks.
He explained this would help council save money on the time taken to maintain each waste cell.
He said NetWaste, a regional waste group which collaborates methods of waste management for 40 per cent of NSW, was very pleased with Cobar Waste Facility’s improvements.
Since Netwaste’s last visit a number of years ago council has installed automated gates and CCTV systems.
“Being a part of NetWaste in the western region means the council can tap the use of waste management consultants, information and receive better prices than if we tried to do it solo,” Mr Poulter said.
The improvements have been achieved with grant funding from the Environmental Trust and the NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Waste Less Recycle More initiative’s Landfill Consolidation and Environmental Improvements Grant Program.
