Nambucca, Bellingen and Coffs Councils join forces on green waste

Upping the ante on ensuring food waste doesn’t take up precious landfill space, new initiative begins on July 1.

Bellingen Mayor Dominic King says using the bins correctly contributes to the circular economy for the shires waste. Photo: Tim Jarrett

With the region’s main tip reaching capacity, three councils have banded together to ensure green waste doesn’t end up in land fill.

10,000 kitchen caddies will be up for grabs as part of a new initiative aimed at educating residents about sustainable ways to get rid of food scraps and garden waste.

Bellingen Shire, Coffs Harbour City and Nambucca Valley Councils have secured funding from the NSW Environmental Protection Authority for the Let’s Get Compositing Campaign which includes the kitchen caddies to make it easier to collect food scraps.

An audit of kerbside wheelie bins across the region found up to 40 per cent of the contents of red-lidded bins were food scraps and garden waste that should be placed in the green-lidded bins.

This was despite a survey of residents showing most people knew food scraps and garden waste should be disposed of in the green bin to be composted by Council.

Coffs Harbour, Bellingen and Nambucca councils are encouraging people to do the right thing, in the right bin. Picture: Michael DiFabrizio

Bellingen Shire Council Mayor, Councilor Dominic King, said disposing of food scraps and garden waste in the green bins or composting at home was one of the easiest things you can do to reduce your climate change footprint.

“We need to shift our thinking and see food scraps and garden waste as a valuable resource, instead of a waste product; to be transformed into nutrient-rich compost used to improve local gardens, parks and farms,” Mr King said.

“The Let’s Get Composting” campaign reminds residents that all food scraps belong in the green bin, including things you don’t want to compost at home such as onions, garlic and citrus peels.”

The joint composting facility can even process meat, bones and soiled paper products like serviettes, Mr King added.

Some headway looks to be being made on the region’s waste problems, with Coffs Harbour City councillors agreeing to re-establish a regional waste committee to sort through the myriad issues.

Green waste goes in the bin with the green lid.

Council is also seeking guidance from the NSW state government on a possible new tip site.

Residents are encouraged to collect a free kitchen caddy from one of many pick up locations across the three Local Government Areas, which are listed at www.letsgetcomposting.org.au.

The free kitchen caddies will be available from July 1 and more information can be found at the new website letsgetcomposting.org.au.

The program website also provides information about what can and cannot go in the green bin, a behind-the-scenes look at the Biomass Solutions composting process, tips for keeping your kitchen caddy and green wheelie bin free from pests and smells, and ways to avoid food waste in the first place.