Boost for a greener Geelong

CIVIL work on a new green waste compost centre at Anakie will begin within three months.

Construction is expected to start in September or October.

Work is expected to take up to seven months.

It is forecast that the new centre will process up to 35,000 tonnes of green organic material a year.

Geelong has rising demand for green waste collection, and the council wants to reduce the amount going to landfill.

A commercial tender to carry out the establishing works, including roads, drainage and security, closes tomorrow.

The council has set aside $1 million to advance the project in its 2017-18 budget.

In an earlier application, the council revealed that its green waste service had seen large rises in use.

“Over the course of three years of data, it is clear there is an increase in the participation of residential green organics disposal,” the council said.

The site will process green waste such as grass clippings, branches, timber offcuts and prunings collected from residential properties.

The council will direct the compost to its own parks and gardens projects and sell the rest on the local market.

The Geelong Advertiser reported in February that contamination of residential recycling bins was costing the council hundreds of thousands of dollars.

People tying up their garden waste in plastic bags was one of the main problems, said city services general manager Will Tieppo.

The council will from January start charging residents who have existing additional rubbish or recycling bins.