Recycling crisis over with kerbside collections no longer headed to landfill

Piles of recycling will no longer be sent to landfill in Melbourne’s north after Darebin Council signed a new contract with waste giant Visy. The four-year deal will see materials taken to a recovery centre in Heidelberg — but its value is a secret.

Darebin Mayor Susan Rennie has been saving her recycling from landfill. Picture: Ellen Smith

From today Darebin recyclers can rest assured their kerbside collections are being put to good use and will no longer be sent to landfill.

Darebin Council announced last night they have signed a recycling contract with Visy Recycling, ending a small part of the state’s recycling crisis.

SKM Recycling had contracts with more than 30 councils, including Darebin, when it told its partners on July 25 it would no longer be accepting their recycling due to ongoing health, environmental and legal issues.

SKM Recycling had warehouses stacked full of recycled material. Picture: Glenn Ferguson

The council’s four-year contract with Visy will see recycling material taken to the recovery facility in Heidelberg.

Bin collection days will remain the same.

Darebin Mayor Susan Rennie said the council had been hard at work to ensure the service was up and running as soon as possible.

“The deal is the culmination of months of hard work to secure the limited remaining capacity for recycling in Victoria,” she said.

“We know our community is one that cares deeply about the effect they have on the environment, and the thought of sending recyclable material to landfill was distressing.”

Northcote recycler Jacquie Kelly, like many in Darebin, was holding onto her recycling waiting for the good news.

“I’ve been storing my recycling at home because I just can’t bear to put my bin out knowing it’s going to landfill. I’ve even changed the way I shop, so now I’m buying products with less packaging,” she said.

“It feels good knowing that the next time I put my yellow recycling bin out it’ll actually be recycled.”

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Visy has a contract with a number of councils in Melbourne, including Moreland, Heidelberg and Boroondara.

The value of Visy’s four-year contract with Darebin Council is confidential.

@richardapearce