Four bin approach for waste management

A new four-bin approach to waste management has been recommended by the state government and will separate food and organics, glass, recyclables and household rubbish.

Baw Baw Shire’s draft waste management plan is expected to be presented early next financial year and will take into account state government recommendations outlined in a new report.

Council last week received the state government’s Recycling Victoria: A New Economy policy and noted its impact on a new waste management plan currently being developed for Baw Baw.

The state government has committed to overhauling household recycling services, introducing a four-bin system and a container deposit scheme.

Officer’s said the state government’s new plan would have a substantial impact on council’s waste services and a significant influence on its waste management plan.

The report to council said an important provision in the plan will be the introduction of a kerbside reform package to support local government, including:

Standardising bins (including bin lid colours), Standardising kerbside services (including acceptable items) across Victoria, and

Simplifying household recycling (backed by a state-wide education program).

The plan outlines waste collection in four core services - combined food and garden organics (FOGO); glass; combined paper, plastics and metals; and household waste.

The reforms will be rolled out gradually with all Victorians having access to a glass waste service by 2027 and a container deposit scheme (CDS) will be implemented by 2022/23 for the collection of glass, plastics and other materials.

A mandatory roll out of FOGO recovery services will begin in 2026/27, if not already in place by individual municipalities.

Council last year identified establishment of a FOGO service as an option to be considered in its next kerbside collection contract.

The FOGO business case recommended changing the frequency of Baw Baw’s current waste service to include a weekly FOGO collection and fortnightly garbage and recycling collections.

A bin audit carried out by Solo Resource Recovery in September 2019 showed that bins in Baw Baw Shire contained an average of 47 per cent food and garden organics.

The introduction of FOGO will therefore result in a significant decrease in waste going to landfill that is subject to the increased landfill levy.

Officers said the plan outlined a significant increase in the EPA landfill levy over the next three years, which will have a substantial cost impact on council’s waste disposal.

The purpose of the landfill levy increase is to minimise the amount of waste going to landfill, to align with other state landfill levies and to stimulate innovation within the recycling sector.

Council collects approximately 10,000 tonnes of residual waste (general rubbish) through its kerbside collections each year and the increase will mean an additional $200,000 cost in 2020/21.

Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding in December 2019 committing to a joint tender process known as ‘Gippswide Kerbside’ with the six Gippsland councils and facilitated by Resource Recovery Gippsland.

This was put on hold waiting the release of the state government policy.

Council’s draft waste management plan will be presented to council before it enters the caretaker period ahead of October’s council elections.

Cr Peter Kostos said as a growing shire, there was going to be more waste.

“We need to consider what is in this plan so we can consider what goes into waste and recycling,” he said.

Cr Kostos said waste collection costs had grown considerably.

“It is very important we have a good look at this. There is a lot of waste going into bins and we need to improve that,” he said.