Randwick Council moves to divert waste from landfill
RANDWICK Council is one of the first in NSW to move on an environmental initiative calling for a drastic reduction in waste sent to landfill with a target rate of 75 per cent in the next five years
Southern Courier
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RANDWICK Council is one of the first in NSW to move on an environmental initiative calling for a drastic reduction in waste sent to landfill.
The council’s new Draft Waste Management Strategy 2017-2030, adopted on Tuesday tonight, pledges to increase the landfill diversion rate to 75 per cent in the next five years.
It is in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2017-2021 Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Strategy.
Randwick Mayor Lindsay Shurey said the community was “well on our way to achieving our goal”.
“The NSW EPA set the target for the state and while it is an ambitious one I believe it is achievable if we all work together,” Mr Shurey said.
“After analysing our current strategy and creating a subsequent action plan, I’m confident that Randwick Council can meet the target of diverting 75 per cent.”
Randwick Council currently achieves a 56 per cent landfill diversion.
“In speaking with a wide range of our community, I’ve come to find that Randwick City residents are environmentally motivated,” Cr Shurey said.
“We are already achieving a high level of recycling and residents are also taking advantage of the upgrades to the recycling centre in Matraville that allow them to recycle more items, including hazardous household waste.”
The council’s strategy presents seven options to achieve higher diversion rates, with some affecting domestic waste collection services.
According to the strategy option seven will ultimately deliver the best outcome, subject to the establishment of “energy from waste” facilities. Sydney currently has no such facilities.
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Option seven will provide residents with a three-bin collection system, with food and garden waste in a green-lid bin, rubbish without food in a red bin and dry recyclables in a yellow bin.
Other goals outlined in the strategy include increasing the recycling rate to 70 per cent, treating all waste prior to landfill disposal by 2025, reducing problem waste in household collections by 2022 and targeting illegal dumping.
The strategy will be put on public exhibition for three weeks for stakeholder and community feedback.
Following the feedback the strategy will be finalised for council approval.