About

Impact Apps have been specialising in waste management app development for over 10 years.

Our team has  a passion for creating innovative features that residents will want to use. We are lucky enough to have a director that started her career as an environmental consultant specialising in recycling and the circular economy. As a result our apps are designed with an understanding of the messages local government needs to communicate to its residents.


Please feel free to reach out to discuss your project in more detail or ask any questions you might have about how our apps work and how they can help you and your residents. 

Get in Touch

FAQ's

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About Impact Apps

  • How many Councils does Impact Apps work with currently?

    We have built, and continue to support, waste and recycling apps, digital voucher solutions and other software for more than 45 Councils across Australia.

  • How long has Impact Apps been building and supporting waste and recycling apps for?

    Since 2013.

  • Which Councils does Impact Apps work with?

    Please see our list of member Councils here. 

  • Does Impact Apps work with regional groups of Councils?

    Yes. We have built regional waste and recycling apps for groups of Councils. Each participating Council has its own app within the regionally branded app. Each Council has its own content management system (CMS), to edit its content and send push notifications to its residents, independently from the other Councils in the regional group. Regional apps such as these offer the participating councils a lower cost way to promote and educate the community about the app as this can be shared across the region. In addition, discounts can be offered for set up and support fees. 

About working with Impact Apps

  • How long does it take for us to have a new app on the App Store and Google Play?

    Six weeks from when we receive the content for the app from Council.

  • What information do you need from Council to build the app?

    • An Excel file with a list of all addresses, to be included in the app, and the associated waste collection information (e.g. collection day and zone).

    • The content Council wants to display on the other pages of the app. We provide Council with pre-populated templates to make this job easier.

    • Council logos, corporate colours, image for the App Tile and the app loading page.

    • Name of the App


  • How do we update content in the app once it is built?

    Your app comes with a Content Management System (CMS). This enables Council to edit the content on the pages of the app (excluding the forms which are coded by our IT team), send push notifications, alter addresses, view and export a summary of all forms submitted from the app.

  • Can we send push notifications for free?

    Yes. You can send a push notification at anytime from your CMS for free. A push can be sent to the entire LGA, individual waste zones, individual streets, suburbs or houses. 

    These are great for notifying residents of a new service, a service delay (e.g. in the event of a truck break down) or of an event etc.

  • What if we want to add a new feature to the app?

    Just call us and tell us what challenge you are trying to address and we will help you design and build a solution. We provide you with mock ups of the new feature so you can see how it will appear and the user experience. Each customised solution is quoted at the time.  

  • Does Impact Apps offer ongoing support once the app is live?

    Yes. Our annual licence and maintenance fee covers our time to recode the app to ensure it works on new operating systems and widely used phones. We currently code for iPhone and Android. 

    We are also here to answer questions on how to edit content in the CMS and to answer any general technical questions.

Waste Calander

About the Waste & Recycling App

  • Do residents have to pay to download the app?

    No. The app is free to download.

  • Does the app have bin night reminders?

    Yes. Residents can set a bin night reminder, at a time that suits them. The reminder will go off, at the time set, on the day before the scheduled collection service.  

  • Can we display irregular large item collections on the calendar?

    Yes. We can add code to the app to display any scheduled collection service, such as a large item/bulky waste collection. 

  • We do not run collection on Christmas Day and Good Friday. Can this be coded in, so it displays on the calendar?

    Yes. We have done this for several Councils where the collection scheduled for the public holiday needed to be displayed on the day following the public holiday. The collections normally scheduled for the day following the public holiday were to be displayed on the following day, and so on, until the weekend, after which the normal collection schedule would resume.

  • What about adding special events to the calendar?

    Council can add special events to the calendar at anytime through the CMS. 

  • Does the app have an A-Z of Recycling?

    Yes.  A comprehensive, searchable, list of items with images are included. Links from the items to locations to take them for recycling/correct disposal are included. The list is editable through the CMS. Seasonal items, such as Christmas Trees, can be deactivated so they do not display on the app until they are reactivated the following year. 

  • Does the app show residents where to take items for correct disposal or recycling?

    Yes. The app has a “Recycling Locations Map”. The categories used to group items (e.g. Batteries, Soft Plastic, Mattresses, Pain) can be edited by Council. The drop off locations can also be edited and expanded at any time through the CMS. Driving instructions are provided. 

  • Does the app help reduce contamination?

    Yes. Comprehensive lists of waste items, with images with ticks and crosses, are used to provide clear guidance on what can and can not be placed into each of the kerbside bins.

  • Can we use the app to show residents where to take items for correct disposal / recycling?

    Yes. Information on Council facilities is included. These pages usually include a map to assist with driving instructions, in addition to information on opening hours, accepted items, fees and charges etc.


    The Recycling Locations Map is also used to show residents where to take various items for disposal or recycling. 


  • We would like a Report It feature. Is this possible?

    Yes. We have built a “Report It” form for Councils which empowers residents to report on issues as chosen by Council. This can be limited to waste issues such as dumped rubbish. Or, it can be expanded to include a wide range of issues such as pot-holes in the road, damaged playground equipment, graffiti etc. 

  • Can the app include Council services other than waste and recycling? Yes. The app can be expanded, at a pace set by Council, to include other services such as “Events”, “Report It”, “Pay It”, “Facilities” etc.

    Any new service is accessed by residents by simply “updating” their app. There is no need to educate residents on a new, additional app to download. The ability to add new services at any time, future proofs the investment in the waste and recycling app for Council.

  • We want to introduce digital with Council’s waste vouchers. Can this be added to the app?

    Yes. We have built a digital waste vouchers solution for several Councils. This offers a convenient way for residents to access their waste vouchers at any time, offers an audit trail for Council to monitor voucher usage, reduces costs by avoiding the need to print and post vouchers and prevents residents using more vouchers than they are entitled to. 

  • We want to create forms for the issues residents call the Council administration centre for. Can we do this?

    Yes. We have designed and built several sophisticated forms for Councils.  Residents receive a customised SMS and Email immediately in response to submitting the form. The form is sent to the email address(es) provided by Council and a log of all requests is kept on the CMS. Integration with Council’s internal customer request system can be investigated and quoted if desired.

  • What is a website widget?

    This is when we provide you with the code to display, some or all, of your app’s content on your Council website. 

  • Which of the app pages/ features can be displayed on Council’s website?

    Some or all. We code our app so that with a relatively simple extension it can be provided to you to display on your website.


    All edits made through the CMS are immediately reflected on both the app and the Council website. This offers consistent messaging and reduces administration time. 


  • Do you offer an online bin calendar which enables residents to print a 12-month personalised calendar from Council’s website?

    Yes. Residents simply select their address and hit “print” to download and print a 12-month personalised collection calendar. This calendar includes all scheduled collections plus special events added by Council.

  • What mobile phones does the app work on?

    We code the app for iOS and Android devices used by most of the population in Australia.

  • Will it display on an iPad and android tablet?

    Yes. The app will display on tablets. As we do not recode/redesign the app specifically for iPads and tablets, the same content is stretched to display on the larger screen.

Forms

Timeframes and Costs 

  • How long will it take for you to build our waste and recycling app?

    Six weeks from when we receive the content for the app from Council.

  • Do we pay a set-up fee and an ongoing support and maintenance fee?

    Yes. The ongoing licence and maintenance fee ensures your app will work on all new operating systems and widely used phones. We currently build the app to operate on iOS and android devices.

  • Do we have to commit to a several year contract?

    No. Council can cancel at anytime.

  • What happens if we want to cancel the app?

    We will remove the app from the App Store and Google Play. Council is not charged a cancellation fee. 

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