Wingecarribee residents are gradually embracing Council’s “on call” kerbside clean-up service, with Mittagong householders the first to sample the new system.

Council agreed a few months ago to dispense with the once fully subsidised clean-up in preference for an on-call user-pay system.

Residents are now required to book at least a week prior to their designated pick-up times and pay Council $22 for coming out.

The new twice-yearly system took effect this week, with 40 Mittagong households having their spring clean-up materials removed by Council crews.

Council’s waste manager Miles Lochhead said the new system encouraged recycling, is more efficient and cleaner, with whole villages no longer having rubbish lying idle on their streets for days on end.

“We’re pretty happy with the way it’s going so far,” Mr Lochhead said.

“We’ve had 40 at Mittagong and about 25 so far booked for the northern villages next week, so it’s starting to gain momentum.”

Mr Lochhead said even Monday’s snow didn’t deter his crews from collecting materials.

He said the new arrangements are still largely subsidised, with some funding coming from the domestic waste charge.

Participating residents in the northern villages have until today to book and pay for their clean-up, which will be conducted next week.

Bowral and Burradoo’s collection is scheduled for September 10-14, with Council crews collecting around Moss Vale from September 17-21.

The clean-up collection for the southern and eastern villages (Burrawang, Robertson etc) is due to start from September 24.

Council clean-up crews will again do the rounds in February and March next year.

Householders taking part in the clean-up are advised that no more than two cubic metres of material should be put out for collection.

Suitable materials include old furniture, dismantled white goods, recyclable metals, sawn timber off cuts and old crockery and pots.

Demolition materials, green waste, batteries, rocks, soil and domestic recycling materials won’t be collected.

Chemicals and poisons can be surrendered during Council’s chemical surrender day on September 9.

Items should be left on the kerb the night before collection in a neat pile.

Mr Lochhead urges residents to phone the Resource Recovery Centre on 4868 0555 for more information or see Council’s newspaper ads.

Clean-up bookings are also made on that number.