New waste service set for July launch

THE coming months will see changes made to the kerbside waste collection in the Surf Coast Shire

As of July 6, household waste across the shire will be separated into four bins, with a new purple-lidded bin for glass.

Cr David Bell said the rollout of these bins would be a significant step forwards in waste management for the shire.

“In recent years it has been clear that we need to take a different approach to waste and recycling – to avoid it in the first place and better manage what we do produce. We should think of resource recovery, not waste disposal.

“The changes to the service aim to reduce the amount of material sent to landfill. Separating glass at home keeps broken glass out of other recyclable materials so they can be recycled more effectively.”

Residents will also be asked to start putting food scraps such as meat, fruit and vegetables, bones and bread into their green organic bin.

Cr Bell says this service, known as Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO), will also have a positive effect on the environment.

“Collecting food organics with garden organics means it gets processed into compost and mulch instead of being sent to landfill where it releases greenhouse gasses as it breaks down,”

In the coming months, the council will not only deliver purple-lidded bins to residents, but will also provide residents with a benchtop caddy to transport food scraps from the kitchen to the bin, and a calendar that shows the new collection dates and information on what goes in each bin.

The council will also be switching the dark green bin lids for red ones to match national standards.

Council officers will be at various markets, events and pop-up information stalls to help residents understand the upcoming changes.

Residents in areas classified as “rural” will be able to choose whether they switch to the new system.

Cr Bell said there is also flexibility in the way certain dwellings manage their waste.

“We are keen to work with people in multi-unit residences – like retirement villages, apartments, and townhouses – that might benefit from a shared bin arrangement instead of the standard service.

We encourage the body corporate representatives in these residences to contact Council’s Waste Services team to discuss the best setup for you.”