Four bins proposed in waste reforms
Food scraps into weekly green waste collections, fortnightly rubbish bin collections and glass recycling maybe introduced as part of a new four-bin waste collection plan for Baw Baw Shire residents.
A draft waste management plan has been released by council that aims to reshape waste and recycling services in an attempt to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
The new four-bin waste and recycling system will include FOGO - food organics and garden organics (green lid); glass (purple lid); recycling including plastic, paper, cardboard and metals (yellow lid); and household waste (red lid).
The draft plan reflects changes outlined in the state government’s Recycling Victoria: a new economy policy and 10-year action plan.
The draft plan identifies how council can implement the Recycling Victoria requirements including:
Provision of FOGO kerbside collection services by 2030;
Provision of separate systems for glass and other recyclables by 2027; and,
Upgrading kerbside bin lids to ensure they are consistent with colours specified in Recycling Victoria.
The report to council said the state government also was introducing a container deposit scheme in 2022/23, which will allow community members to recycle their bottles and cans at local glass drop-off locations to receive a refund.
Officers said implementation of the new plan and state government’s reform will incur an additional cost to council because of increased landfill levies, recycling processing and implementation of the FOGO and glass services.
Officers said council would be provided with more details of these cost impacts before the reforms were introduced.
Cr Ben Lucas said the environment was very important to the younger demographic and initiatives like this needed to be supported.
He said this type of four bin waste strategy was already in place in other areas so council knew it worked well in diverting waste from landfill.
Cr Lucas said the Recycling Victoria plan aimed to divert 80 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030 and halve the volume of organic materials going to waste in the next 10 years.
“The plan sets a number of ambitious targets that will provide long-term benefits to our environment and better manage our resources,” he said.
Cr Tricia Jones said council’s waste plan had been on hold while the state government worked on its 10 year action plan.
She said the major change for residents was adapting to a four bin system with one bin dedicated to glass.
Cr Michael Leaney said residents needed to be aware that waste management costs will increase – “but if we don’t act now the costs will increase far more.”
“While there is a cost increase for ratepayers with the new system, by not acting it will be worse.
“The more we produce for landfill, the more it will cost our ratepayers,” he said.
Cr Jazmin Tauru said waste management was a huge issue that council needed to act on before it was too late.
She said the amount of waste going to landfill had increased at shocking levels. “By acting now we are saving our environment for the future.”
Cr Tauru said the container deposit scheme was a great way to encourage younger people to recycle and earn rewards.
Cr Peter Kostos said it was important once the new strategy was implemented that people were educated how to use the system.
“We can supply extra bins but people have to understand they need to do it to be effective. It is very important people are educated correctly,” he said.
Submissions on the draft plan close on February 5.