Waste report shows impact of four-bin system

A LOCAL waste report card has revealed more than 70 per cent of all residential waste is being diverted from landfill thanks to the four-bin system.

The report conducted by the Surf Coast Shire Council has compiled data from the past 12 years and tracked the tonnes collected from each bin type.

It shows key milestones in the journey towards a more sustainable waste system including the start of the Anglesea Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) trial, a new recycling contractor, the purple-lidded bins, and the introduction of the FOGO bin.

Cr Adrian Schonfelder said the data paints a clear picture of how residents’ efforts are paying off.

“Our community has made great progress in sorting their household rubbish and recycling to reduce the amount we are sending to landfill,” Cr Schonfelder said. “We have some of the lowest contamination rates in the region with 1 per cent contamination in our FOGO and glass-only bins.

“This means almost everyone is putting the correct items in these bins.

“However, regular audits show that more than half of what’s going into red bins could actually be recycled or composted.”

These audits suggest 52 per cent of materials in landfill bins should have gone into FOGO, glass or recycling bins.

There has also been a decline in food waste in FOGO bins, with food scraps not making it to the right bin.

“All food belongs in the FOGO bin and every peel, crumb and core counts,” Cr Schonfelder said.

“Food and garden waste placed in the FOGO bin is turned into nutrient-rich compost, helping to grow more food and close the loop on waste.”

The shire advises that putting food and green waste in landfill takes up valuable space at the Anglesea landfill, which is almost full.

When the landfill closes, the Shire’s rubbish will have to be transported further.

That will result in ratepayers facing higher costs for waste services.

Food and green waste in landfill also releases potent greenhouse gases.

To read the waste report card, head to surfcoast.vic.gov.au/BY NATHAN RIVALLAND

A LOCAL waste report card has revealed more than 70 per cent of all residential waste is being diverted from landfill thanks to the four-bin system.

The report conducted by the Surf Coast Shire Council has compiled data from the past 12 years and tracked the tonnes collected from each bin type.

It shows key milestones in the journey towards a more sustainable waste system including the start of the Anglesea Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) trial, a new recycling contractor, the purple-lidded bins, and the introduction of the FOGO bin.

Cr Adrian Schonfelder said the data paints a clear picture of how residents’ efforts are paying off.

“Our community has made great progress in sorting their household rubbish and recycling to reduce the amount we are sending to landfill,” Cr Schonfelder said. “We have some of the lowest contamination rates in the region with 1 per cent contamination in our FOGO and glass-only bins.

“This means almost everyone is putting the correct items in these bins.

“However, regular audits show that more than half of what’s going into red bins could actually be recycled or composted.”

These audits suggest 52 per cent of materials in landfill bins should have gone into FOGO, glass or recycling bins.

There has also been a decline in food waste in FOGO bins, with food scraps not making it to the right bin.

“All food belongs in the FOGO bin and every peel, crumb and core counts,” Cr Schonfelder said.

“Food and garden waste placed in the FOGO bin is turned into nutrient-rich compost, helping to grow more food and close the loop on waste.”

The shire advises that putting food and green waste in landfill takes up valuable space at the Anglesea landfill, which is almost full.

When the landfill closes, the Shire’s rubbish will have to be transported further.

That will result in ratepayers facing higher costs for waste services.

Food and green waste in landfill also releases potent greenhouse gases.

To read the waste report card, head to surfcoast.vic.gov.au/WasteReportCard