City of Karratha invites tenders for waste and recycling collection

The City of Karratha is inviting tenders for a waste and recycling collection contract with potential to bring the customer service component in-house.

With Cleanaway’s contract set to expire in February 2027, the council voted at the June ordinary council meeting to invite tenders for a new five-year agreement.

However, the city is also considering internalising the customer service component of the waste contract, which would allow the city to handle resident inquiries directly while a contractor manages the physical collection.

In their report city officers said options for local recycling processing would be fundamental to the new contract to help offset the impact of rising fuel prices.

During the debate, Cr Sarah Roots described the service as a “core remit” for the council.

“I think it’s really important in the way that it’s structured that we can make sure we get the absolute most efficient outcome for the people that we serve,” she said.

Cr Daiva Gillam praised the current high standards of the service, which achieved the single-highest rating in the 2025 community survey.

“The current contractor has a very large task and they’ve very rarely skipped a beat so I think that they’re doing a pretty good job. I hope that you have enough tenderers come to the party to make a good choice,” she said.