Recyclables to go to landfill following Geelong closure

RESIDENTS and business in three councils in the Geelong region will have their recyclables sent to landfill following the temporary closure of SKM’s Geelong processing plant last week.

Earlier this month, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) ordered SKM to close its Coolaroo and Laverton North sites due to unacceptable amounts of stockpiled material posing fire risk.

The Geelong site remained open as it was not affected by the EPA notice, but SKM decided to close it at 5pm on February 20 due to the site reaching maximum capacity.

The City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Colac Otway Shires all released statements asking ratepayers to continue recycling as normal and that SKM’s Geelong site would re-open soon, potentially within two weeks.

Surf Coast Shire general manager of governance and infrastructure Anne Howard said regular collections of yellow lid recycling bins would continue in the shire.

“For the time being our recyclable material will go to Council’s Anglesea landfill site, which is very disappointing and our last resort. This will only occur for as long as SKM has its Geelong plant closed or until an alternative can be found.

“We need people to keep separating their recyclables to ensure that processing can continue again as soon as possible, but urge them to only put out recycling bins for collection if they are full.”

Kerbside collection of green organics and landfill bins will remain unchanged in the Surf Coast Shire, and Anglesea’s food organics pilot is unaffected.

While most collection trucks will continue to separate recycling and waste in the City of Greater Geelong, some trucks on rural routes may be required to temporarily consolidate waste and recycling.

Colac Otway Shire infrastructure and leisure services general manager Tony McGann also urged residents not to put out their yellow bins if they were not full.

“Council has also evaluated whether it could stockpile recyclables during SKM’s temporary closure however this is not possible because Colac Otway does not have a suitable, permitted site for this purpose and we would breach environmental regulations,” he said.