Lara leads food waste bin trial

COLLECTING and managing household waste is one of a council’s core responsibilities. In fact, it’s often the very first thing people associate with local government.

As part of our focus on the long-term sustainability of this beautiful region, the Greater Geelong council has set a target of diverting 100 per cent of kerbside household waste away from landfill by 2030.

At the moment, around a third of the waste in our red-lidded landfill bins is food waste.

So, one of the biggest steps we can take in the short-term is to remove that food waste from the red bin.

Rather than sending it to landfill with the rest of our household rubbish, we want to make use of food waste by recycling it into compost, which can then fertilise local parks, gardens and farms.

I’m really excited that the first milestone in our transition towards this improved system will be a trial in my home community of Lara.

Around 1500 Lara households have been selected to participate in the 12-month trial starting November 5, and they’ll all be given a new orange-lidded bin just for food waste.

This orange bin is smaller in size so it doesn’t take up too much space, and will be collected weekly alongside the red bins.

Once picked up, the food waste will be taken to the City of Greater Geelong’s processing site in Anakie, where it will be composted for re-use: a true example of the circular economy in action.

Along with the orange bins, we will also be supplying a small benchtop caddy to collect scraps in, with compostable liners to go inside.

The liners are made from 100 per cent corn starch, meaning they’re organic and can be thrown into the orange bin with the food waste they’re holding.

So the process will be very quick and easy, and will bring enormous benefits by cutting the volume of waste sent to landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

It’s been encouraging to see so much willingness from the Lara community to try something new, and excitement about being trailblazers for a positive long-term change.

The trial will be evaluated late in 2022 and, all going well, it will be gradually rolled out to other areas during 2023.

Our aim is to have a food waste collection service introduced across the entire region by 2024.

Of course, many people across Greater Geelong (including in Lara) are already recycling their food waste by home composting or feeding it to their chooks.

This is fantastic and certainly something we encourage everyone to keep doing if it’s what you prefer.

For anyone in Lara with questions, there are more information sessions coming up – please visit yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/foodwaste to book. Or, just follow the QR code on your notification letter and brochure.

There’s also a survey on the webpage we’d love you to complete before the trial starts, with some great prizes on offer.

Thank you Lara for playing an important part in the future of waste management in Greater Geelong.

We look forward to seeing how the trial goes.

Cr Kylie Grzybek