And better promotion of Orange City Council's $2 ticket for an extra bin collection was also put forward in a bid to stave off the cost of scheduling an extra recycling service during the festive period.

Council staff will look into the issue following discussion on Christmas garbage at last Tuesday's Orange City Council meeting after Cr Glenn Floyd asked for an extra recycling service over Christmas.

"As we all know, Christmas and New Year is one of the main times of the year that the demand for rubbish removal and recycling services outstrips the service availability," Cr Floyd said.

"A weekly recycled rubbish service will greatly reduce waste spilling onto the streets from overfilled bins as happens on a regular basis around this time and will lead to a tidier city through a greater awareness of recycling and the responsible disposal of refuse and reduced, unnecessary landfill."

Waste services are a full-cost recovery operation. Therefore, if the level of service is increased charges would need to be adjusted to cover an increase in cost. Council staff also pointed out residents who travel away over Christmas would not benefit from the service.

OCC Technical Services director Ian Greenham said adding an extra recycling service was not as simple as it sounds.

"We do 26 recycling services a year, once a fortnight," he said. "What we do is have half as many recycling trucks as we have collection trucks for general waste and we split the city in half.

"Half the week, you're servicing one half of the city, the second week in the cycle is servicing the other half. It's not that the trucks are stood down waiting to come and do another service."

Council also offers a service where, with the purchase of a $2 ticket from its Byng Street chambers, residents can place an extra bin out for collection.

"You can take much more than 240 litres out in the back of the your car for no cost at all, if it's a recyclable material. Cardboard and wrapping, that sort of material can be taken out to the Ophir Road Resource Recovery Centre at any time of the year," Mr Greenham added

The Resource Recovery is open every day except Christmas Day and Good Friday.

Cr Whitton, who moved the successful amendment asking for a report costing alternatives to another cycling service, said Orange was probably one of the few cities which didn't provide accessible recyclable skip bins.

"Most other cities have a large bin that allows the community to put waste into those bins. But it all comes at a cost," he said.

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