The Shire of Collie is one of only eight local governments in the state to introduce an organics bin, resulting in a 50 per cent reduction in waste going to landfill.
That initiative and reduction the shire nominated for the Avoid-Recover-Protect Waste Management award at last week’s Infinity Awards, where it walked away with a commendation.
Shire chief executive officer David Blurton said it was a fantastic outcome to be recognised for the hard work put in by the shire and the community to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.
“Collie is well ahead of the game as the vast majority of metropolitan councils are only now considering introducing organics recycling services in their communities,” he said.
“We are one of the few local governments that is on track to meet the waste recovery targets of 50 per cent by 2020 set by the WA Waste Authority.”
Between July 2017 and May 2018, 1203 tonnes of waste was diverted from landfill through kerbside collection of the organics bin, with a further 701 tonnes collected from the recycling bins.
In comparison, 1884 tonnes of waste was sent to landfill through the kerbside collection of rubbish bins.
In addition to the three-bin system, the shire has also committed to cutting down on single-use plastics at shire buildings and events, as well as encouraging soft plastic recycling at local primary schools and implementing recycling initiatives around batteries, light globes and e-waste.
Shire president Sarah Stanley said effective waste management strategies were important to protecting the natural environment.
“Effective waste diversion and recovery is an important part of protecting our natural environment and also plays a part in prolonging the life of the shire’s waste facility,” she said.
“The more waste we can divert away from landfill the better, through reducing consumption, reusing resources and recycling properly.”
The Avoid-Recover-Protect Waste Management award was won by the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council and the City of Melville for its trial of a third organics bin.
The Waste and Recycling Industry Association of WA, Cleanaway WA, the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council, SUEZ WA and the Western Australian Local Government Association were all highly commended for introducing statewide guidelines for kerbside recycling.
The Infinity Awards, presented annually by the Waste Authority, showcase the contributions of Western Australians who are leading the way to a lower waste future.
