'What the heck is going on?': Mayor says Sydney rubbish not welcome in regional NSW

NSW Environment minister Penny Sharpe warned on November 1 that Sydney was running out of landfill and if no action was taken residents would be paying for their waste to be transported to regional areas or interstate.

Some Sydney waste is already disposed of at Veolia's facility at Woodlawn Mine in Tarago near Goulburn.

"This is an urgent issue," Ms Sharpe said. The government was exploring new waste and recycling solutions, she said.

But Country Mayors Association chair Rick Firman told ACM he was "frankly surprised and disappointed" the idea hadn't been discussed with regional councils before it was flagged to the public.

Cr Firman, the mayor of Temora Shire Council in the Riverina, said mayors were asking him 'What the heck is going on?' and whether it was a 'thought bubble' or a genuine proposal.

He said some cash-strapped regional councils would welcome the move while others would say 'No way!'.

"I think we need to understand what our government is thinking in this space and I believe this matter needs to be teased out a lot more," he said.

Currently, four active household landfills service Greater Sydney's waste needs. The main facilities are Cleanaway's Lucas Heights facility and Veolia's facility at Woodlawn Mine.

These two facilities receive 1.85 million tonnes of Sydney waste each year. Two council-operated landfills in the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains service those local communities.

Regional councils are currently responsible for their own waste disposal.

Cr Firman said regional and rural councils contend with significant costs and liabilities when it comes to waste management infrastructure.

"As I understand they do not enjoy the level of state government support seen recently in Sydney (for metro council waste woes) and must fund new landfills with ratepayer levies, loans, and piecemeal grants," he said.

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