The Wairewa Waste Transfer Station will be reinstated by East Gippsland Shire Council and be operational by late February 2021.

A meeting of about 27 community members was held with Councillors Mark Reeves and Arthur Allen and Council officers in Wairewa recently. Of the waste collection options presented, re-instating the transfer station – damaged by last summer’s fires – was the community’s preference.

Council has provided a free waste service to the Wairewa community since the fires through the provision of a large skip bin that is serviced regularly.

In determining the ongoing provision of waste services, consideration was also given to placing an unsupervised waste trailer in a fenced off area on the transfer station site.

However, General Manager Assets and Environment Fiona Weigall said Council’s waste officers were of the strong view that an unmanned service would continue to receive inappropriate materials and dumping, leaving council, and ultimately ratepayers, with considerable clean-up costs.

“As recently as last weekend, disappointingly there was exposed asbestos dumped in the skip bin that is being provided at present. Asbestos can only be safely disposed of at the Bairnsdale Landfill.”

The Wairewa Community Recovery Committee has been notified of the decision by Council.

A clean up of the site will take place soon and destroyed assets replaced with the view of having the transfer station operational by late February. A temporary skip bin will continue to be available for residents, with a community member to take a proactive lead to advise Council on when the bin may require emptying.

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