24 new bins around Lismore to help reduce litter

THERE are now 24 new bins around Lismore's parks and sporting facilities as part of a $100,000 project that aims to reduce litter and increase recycling.

THERE are now 24 new bins around Lismore's parks and sporting facilities as part of a $100,000 project that aims to reduce litter and increase recycling.

The project, jointly-funded by the Australian Packaging Covenant, the NSW EPA's Waste Less Recycle More initiative and Lismore City Council, is one of a number of initiatives to make it easier for people to recycle away from home, with the added benefit of reducing litter, Lismore MP Thomas George said.

"It's part of a broader commitment to improve services and provide opportunities for people to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by increasing recycling," he said.

Lismore City Council Waste and Water Education Officer Danielle Hanigan said now that Council can sell its recyclables following processing at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), there was added incentive to increase recycling volumes.

"It's really a win-win - the more our community recycles the more income we generate to put back into future sustainability and recycling initiatives," Ms Hanigan said.

"The key to making this work is to have easy-to-use public place recycling bins with strong messages and to roll out a community education campaign simultaneously that encourages people to take ownership of recycling in our city and use the new bins.

"We have an opportunity to become a capital of recycling and a model for other regional centres. We just need to make sure our community is aware, educated and fully on board with what we are trying to achieve."

Council has installed nine bins at Lismore Park, three each at Riverside and Wade Park, two each at Kadina Park and Heritage Park, and one at Coronation Park (The Channon oval), Nesbitt Park, Lismore Memorial Gardens, Wyrallah Park and North Woodburn.

Council will monitor community response closely, with litter and bin audits after three, six and 12 months to determine if recycling rates have increased.

"We hope to see a significant amount of waste diverted from landfill and instead find its way to the MRF, where we can process it and bale it for future sale," Ms Hanigan said.

"As well as helping the environment, diverting waste from landfill has the additional benefit of lowering our waste levy fees. As with so many of our recycling initiatives, it makes both economic and environmental sense."

Council hopes to see more than 10 tonnes of recyclables recovered from the new public place bins each year.

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