Why is council doing this?
Food waste makes up about 45% of our rubbish bins. When placed in the rubbish bin, it is landfilled where methane, a green house gas 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide, is created.
The Beyond Zero Waste Strategy 2030 aims to send no waste directly to landfill by 2030. Food waste collection is part of a broad range of actions to meet this target.
Council adopted the Beyond Zero Waste Strategy 2030 on 25 August 2020.
Won’t my food and green bin smell?
Just like in your garbage bin, food waste odours will naturally increase during the warmer months. However, there are various ways to reduce the smell.
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Put food waste in a compostable bag or wrapped in newspaper. Try alternating with layers of food waste and garden waste like lawn clippings or dry leaves
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Wrap up food waste like prawn shells, seafood and uncooked meat scraps and store them in the freezer until closer to collection day
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Store your bins in a shady, flat and well-ventilated area
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Rinse your bins from time-to-time, and always keep the lid closed
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Sprinkle some bicarb soda in the bin to neutralize odours
Will my bin collection change?
No, the schedule will remain the same. Recycling and food and green waste will be collected fortnightly on alternating weeks, and rubbish weekly.
I am a tenant and would like to apply for a kitchen caddy. How do I do this?
If you have a food and green waste bin, you can use the online form above to apply for a caddy.
Will all residents be given a food and green waste bin?
No. Food waste collection will be introduced in two stages.
The first stage is only for residents with a food and green waste bin.
The second stage will commence in 2024 with a review of stage 1. If contamination rates are low, residents will be asked if all households should receive a green waste bin, potential costs and if the food and garden collection should change to a weekly collection.
What if I already compost at home?
That’s excellent! Thank you for doing this – please keep up the great work.
The home compost can only accept limited items, all other food scraps can go into the green waste bin. E.g. meats, dairy and breads.
The food and garden waste bin can actually complement backyard composting by helping you to divert non-compostable material away from landfill and making sure none of this valuable resource goes to waste.
I have a Garden Waste Bin but it is already full of garden waste – there is no room for food scraps
Thank you for using your garden waste bin for garden waste and keeping this material out of landfill!
Food waste is often heavier than garden waste so you may find bagged food waste condenses the other contents, making room. To maximise space in your bin, you can layer your food waste with garden waste.
To make sure you can also divert your food scraps away from landfill, consider establishing a backyard compost bin for some of your excess garden materials and food waste in addition to utilising your garden waste bin.
We have rebates for home composts here
If you find you have an excess of garden and food waste materials, you can order an additional food and garden waste bin. Details of the bin options and costs are available on the Bin Options and Charges page
How do you know this will work?
Food waste recycling is not new. Many Councils around Australia and internationally provide this service to cut down the waste they send to landfill.
It is a proven system to reduce the impact of waste on our environment.