Cafes rally to landfill effort
Cafes help combat organic waste
A TOWNSVILLE based trial aimed at eliminating landfill waste has entered it’s second stage, with a number of cafes signing on to participate.
The Commercial Food Organic (COFO) trial has given 15 Townsville cafes 140 litre bins that will be collected three times a week by council workers.
The trial will run alongside the existing Food Organic Garden Organic (FOGO) trial that the council has been running in select suburbs already.
That system, which targets residential organic waste has been running in a trial form for months, but the COFO trial will finish up in four weeks, according to Mayor Jenny Hill.
“Just like at homes, food organic waste makes up a large portion of what is discarded at cafes and hospitality venues,” Cr Hill said.
“We expect to be able to divert up to 900 wheelie bins, or 72 tonnes, of waste from going to landfill over the threemonth trial.
“The collected material will
be processed into compost by a local landscaping company for use across the city.”
Queensland’s Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the initiative was an ‘important announcement’.
“As part of the Queensland government’s plan to try and halve the amount of food waste going to landfill every year, we’re doing a really fantastic project here in Townsville,” Ms Scanlon said.
“Unfortunately a lot of this product ends up in landfill every year, it’s contributing to harmful methane, and there’s a better place for it to be going.”
As part of the trial, organic waste products separated out from the rest of the waste headed to landfill will be composted and resold through
“They get a specific bin, that is taken by our staff, we have a company we’re working with out towards Burdell and what we’re doing is turning that waste into products that you can purchase as an enhancement for your garden and things like that,” Cr Hill said.
At present, the only store selling the soil enhancement products created through the usage of Townsville’s organic waste products is Mitre 10.