BALLARAT is one of the most expensive Victorian regional centres to dispose of a mattress, leading to fears the items will continue to be dumped in nature reserves.
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The Courier collected information from more than a dozen regional councils and found that Ballarat’s transfer station was the most expensive at which to dispose of a mattress at $31 each.
Bendigo had the cheapest mattress disposal with a flat rate of $10.
The Courier also assessed eight metropolitan councils including Stonnington, Whitehorse and Boorandara, and found the only council costlier than Ballarat was the City of Melbourne at $45 per mattress.
However, data obtained from City of Ballarat infrastructure general manager Eric Braslis shows fees for disposal of waste varied across categories.
“It is cheaper to dispose of half a cubic metre (car boot load) at Ballarat’s transfer station than it is in Geelong, Hepburn, Golden Plains or Bendigo,” Mr Braslis said.
“All council waste charges are calculated on a cost recovery basis. Charges across most categories, particularly general household waste, are comparable with other municipalities or cheaper.”
Mr Braslis said he believed dumping mattresses was an issue that was embedded in society.
“Council believes illegal dumping is a cultural issue as much as it is an economic issue. Anecdotally, the frequency of rubbish dumping fluctuates year on year, but the issue has existed under various waste management systems, and was even a problem when free tips were available in the city,” he said.
The high costs of legal disposal comes weeks after a story in The Courier revealed the extent of rubbish dumping – including mattresses – in the Mount Pleasant pine plantation.
One recent community clean-up in Mount Pleasant filled two industrial skip bins with refuse – including multiple mattresses.
Canadian resident Nicole Phillips, who regularly drives through the Canadian State Forest, said the cost of disposing a mattress had an impact on the number of mattresses dumped in Ballarat’s nature reserves.
“I think it affects it, it’s one of the major things you see dumped,” Ms Phillips said. “There was one instance recently where I saw four (mattresses) in a pile, on the side of the road. They are also on main roads like Gear Avenue.”
She said alternative methods to disposing mattresses were almost nonexistent.
“You see people advertise them on Facebook for free to give away, but no one wants them because they are used or second hand,” Ms Phillips said.
She called for the council to reduce mattress disposal fees or introduce a day where mattresses can be disposed of for free.
Free tip vouchers issued by the council do not include mattress disposal.
Anyone who sees instances of illegal dumping should report it to the EPA on 1300 372 842 or contact the council on 5320 5500.