State Government grants $1.6 million for more food scrap kitchen bins
More South Australian councils will be encouraged to roll out kitchen caddies – that help get food scraps out of landfill and into green bins – with a new $1.6 million grant program, as waste spikes during lockdown.
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Councils are being pressured by the State Government to increase the recycling of food waste, with extra money allocated to roll out kitchen caddies.
An extra $1.6 million will be available to councils across SA to get food waste out of landfill.
It currently accounts for about 40 per cent, by weight, of what ends up at landfill, despite people being able to dispose of food scraps in their green bins.
The money will be available for councils to expand or roll out household food scrap programs, such as tabletop kitchen caddies which come with compostable bags.
Some Adelaide councils, including Port Adelaide Enfield, Mitcham, Mt Barker, Marion and Tea Tree Gully, already offer free kitchen caddies to residents, as well as a free roll of compostable bags each year.
It follows $1.7 million worth of government funding announced earlier this month to help metropolitan councils develop food waste and recycling programs and regional councils collect recycling.
Environment Minister David Speirs said it was an opportune time to educate people about properly disposing of green waste while they were spending more time at home.
“Less waste to landfill is not only good for the environment but it’s good for the economy with more than three times as many jobs created for every tonne of waste recycled or reused instead of going to landfill,” Mr Speirs said.
“Food waste recycling saves councils money by reducing landfill costs because the food waste which would otherwise have been put in the waste bin is diverted into the green bin for composting.”
Data from the Australian Council of Recyclers has shown a 10 per cent spike in waste in the two months since the coronavirus pandemic started.
Councils have also reported an increase in green waste, particularly food scraps.
An investigation by The Advertiser last year found Adelaide councils could have saved $10 million this financial year if food scraps were eliminated from landfill.