Operation Clean Up is in full swing across the Gold Coast to help the thousands of residents who have been impacted by the Christmas and New Year severe weather events.
Operation Clean Up ensures our community gets the support needed to remove the vast volume of waste and debris created by the recent severe weather events.
“The storms have left our city facing a once in a generation storm clean up with some homes and infrastructure basically obliterated,” Mayor Tom Tate said.
“We are now faced with a mammoth clean-up task, including the removal of green waste and storm debris across the impacted areas.
“We are offering kerbside pick-up or skips for storm related debris removal depending on how impacted your street is.
“We ask when it is time for your street pick-up or skip that you do not mix any other waste with your green waste.
“We also ask that only those who are storm affected use this service so that our teams can focus of those most in need.
“Grants will also be available to aid in the removal of storm debris for vulnerable members of our community.
“It is estimated that the green waste left across the city as a result of storms would fill up to 80 football fields, two metres high.”
City of Gold Coast Program Director – Operation Clean Up Ainslie Buffett said a website will launch next week which allows residents to see when City officers and contractors will be conducting kerbside pick-up in their street and track the progress of clean-up efforts across the city.
“We ask people ensure their waste is on the kerbside the day before their schedule pick-up and also separate their green waste from the other storm debris,” Ms Buffett said.
For areas where kerbside pick-up is not available, the website will provide the alternate options including skips and grants for vulnerable members of the community.
“The City and our partner agencies are continuing to assess the damage and so far there are more than 800 houses and more than 115 commercial and community buildings damaged,” Ms Buffett said.
“Clean up work is already underway and as a part of this the City has removed load limits on green waste for domestic customers and waived commercial green waste fees.
“We have had more than 45 crews out clearing our roads and parks of dangerous debris and we are increasing this every day.”
The City is operating extended hours at Waste and Recycling Centres from 6am to 6pm to help facilitate demand.
