Waste report card shows continuing improvement
Scenic Rim Regional Council's success in working with the community to reduce the impact of waste on the environment and create value for the region by capitalising on economic opportunities has been outlined in a report card tabled at yesterday's Ordinary Meeting.
Mayor Tom Sharp, Scenic Rim's representative on the Council of Mayors Waste Working Group, said the third-year report card on Council's Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy 2021-2026 highlighted the region's progress in achieving its vision for a zero-waste future.
"In line with Queensland's Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy 2019, we are committed to reducing the impact of waste on the environment, transitioning to a circular economy for waste and building economic opportunity through resource recovery," he said.
"It's pleasing to see that Council's efforts in supporting the community in reducing waste have seen an increase in resource recovery and a reduction in waste generation per capita during the past year.
"Key achievements of 2023-2024 have been the delivery of Council's waste education programs in schools and the introduction of bin health checks - random 'lift of the lid' inspections of household bins providing residents with feedback on their waste disposal habits to prevent recyclable items from ending up in landfill."
Through kerbside collections and residential and commercial self-haulage, some 22,657 tonnes of waste was disposed of to landfill during 2023-2024 with a per capita reduction of 40 kilograms from the previous year.
Increasing community awareness of the importance of thoughtful disposal of waste resulted in 66 per cent of recycling bins being free of contamination from non-recyclable materials.
Resources recycled during 2023-2024 included 4,811 tonnes of mulch, 2,216 tonnes of cardboard, 100 tonnes of e-waste, 94 tonnes of tyres, 49 tonnes of waste oil, 43 tonnes of batteries and 33 tonnes of paint through the Paintback scheme.
"Members of the community are to be congratulated for their efforts which have contributed to the results in this year's report card, and I hope we will see this good work continued in the year ahead," Cr Sharp said.
The Year 3 Report Card can be accessed below.