Green waste wheelie bins have now been delivered as a standard bin for Sunshine Coast ratepayers, resulting in a significant jump in green waste collected.
Sunshine Coast Council Councillor Maria Suarez said the goal was to further reduce the environmental impacts of waste.
“We have a goal to be a zero net emissions organisation and low carbon region and decomposing waste is a big contributor to greenhouse gases,” she said.
A total of 45,000 organic waste bins have been rolled out since July 11, bringing the number to 86,000 households that now have the bins
From July to September, since the expanded service began, 4292 tonnes of garden organics has been diverted from landfill, to be recycled and reused – well above the 2500 tonnes during the same period last year.
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Noosa Council has operated the green garden bin as a mandated service since 2014 – there were 15,166 bins in the shire.
Sunshine Coast Councillor Cr Suarez, who manages the Environment and Liveability Portfolio, said the bins, “… divert more waste from landfill and prevent harmful greenhouse gas being released into the atmosphere.
“Our region’s garden organics are taken to a council resource recovery centre to be proceeded.
“The material is mulched by a commercial machine and placed in windrows to ‘age’.”
Sunshine Coast and Noosa Councils allowed ratepayers to collect the processed green waste for their gardens.
Noosa’s Acting Waste coordinator Mark Borgert said “This service has operated quite effectively … and is highly regarded by the community.”
“The single grind mulch derived from the green waste collection is available free of charge to residents at the Eumundi Road facility. The double grind material is sold at the landfill.”
In Noosa, rural properties, units and small property less than 400sqm are exempt from the garden waste recycling bin service. However, residents in these areas may request the service if they live within 5km of a service area.
Noosa residents can find more information at the Noosa Council website.
Sunshine Coast Council hoped the green bins would play a role in ongoing reductions in reaching a zero emissions target.
“Remembering what goes in your garden organics bin is really very simple – if it grows in your garden, it can go in,” Cr Suarez said.
“And that’s the extent of it – please only put grass clippings, small branches and twigs, leaves, weeds, garden prunings and old flowers in your garden bin.”
Sunshine Coast Council residents can find more information at the Sunshine Coast Council website.
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