Reformed waste plan

Food and organics waste disposal will be a feature of a reformed waste management plan set to be rolled out by Baw Baw Shire.

The major overhaul includes a new four-bin waste and recycling system and a container deposit scheme to be introduced by 2023.

Under the new plan, every household will receive a bin or access to services including:

Green lid bin – 240 litre bin for combined food organics and garden organics (FOGO) by 2030, collected weekly. This includes provision of a kitchen caddy;

Purple lid bin – for glass recycling by 2027; Yellow bin lid – 240 litre bin for commingled recycling (plastics, paper, cardboard and metals) collected fortnightly; and,

Red bin lid – 120 litre bin for household waste collected fortnightly.

The service also will include an at call hard waste service.

Council’s new waste plan responds to the state government’s 10-year action plan released by Recycling Victoria that sets four key targets: in February 2020.

Divert 80 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030;

Cut total waste generation by 15 per cent by 2030;

Halve the volume of organic materials going to landfill between 2020-2030; and,

Ensure every household has access to food and organic waste recycling or local composting by 2030.

The new waste management plan was endorsed by council after extensive community consultation.

Overall, 49.4 per cent of responses stated they were comfortable with the waste services proposed in the plan, with 31 per cent indicating they weren't, and a further 19.6 per cent indicating they were unsure. services.

There was some concern about a fortnightly garbage bin collection and the problems it may cause due to current waste volumes, and also meeting the needs of residents or families that require disposal of items such as nappies, incontinence pads and medical waste.

Other key messages were:

56.3 per cent of people supported the shift to a weekly FOGO and fortnightly garbage service;

67.2 per cent requested council provide a new kitchen caddy to support the FOGO service;

A report to council said the business case prepared for the FOGO system demonstrated the best value economically, environmentally and socially was to introduce a weekly food and garden organics service and fortnightly garbage service.

A weekly FOGO service will allow residents to place food and garden waste in the same bin, reducing the quantity being placed in the garbage bin and sent to landfill.

Cr Tricia Jones said the state government had turned its focus to a circular waste economy.

She said the Recycle Victoria policy aimed to cut waste generation by 15 per cent and halve materials going to landfill.

Cr Jones said council was grateful to everyone who participated in the survey and their feedback had been taken on board.

Cr Peter Kostos said people who had objected to the plan were short minded.

“We can’t keep filling up our landfill at a rapid pace because the space is getting less. It’s very, very important.

Cr Jazmin Tauru said education was the key. “This is a change of mindset for our environment.”

Cr Michael Leaney said the reality was landfills will be full in a matter of years.

“People have to take responsibility for their outputs. We have to take responsibility for what we are doing to the environment,” he said.

Cr Ben Lucas said council had made 15 changes to its waste plan to reflect the community’s sentiment.