Scenic Rim's youth challenged to reduce and reuse waste

2022 Reimagine waste competition

Scenic Rim Regional Council is encouraging children of all ages to reduce and reuse waste by rising to the challenge of its latest competition.

Following the success of last year’s Reimagine Waste poster competition, Council's Waste Services team has created the Reduce and Reuse Challenge to highlight and share the Scenic Rim’s younger generation’s innovative and creative actions to divert waste from landfill.

This year’s challenge requires entrants to reduce waste by devising ways to either not create waste in the first place, or to find another use for materials that would otherwise go to landfill.

Prizes are up for grabs for groups whose ideas can really make a difference as well as being easily adapted by others within the community.

Ideas could include a 'nude food' day each week for a month to reduce single-use plastic packaging, making a waste-to-art project, or collecting specific items that can often end up in the waste bin such as pens or soft plastics for recovery and responsible recycling.

Entrants are also required to specify how much waste was avoided or diverted from landfill.

Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said this fun and educational initiative supports Council's Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy 2021-2026 and Queensland's vision to progress towards a zero-waste society where waste is avoided, reused and recycled to the greatest possible extent.

“Every year, more than 20,000 tonnes of waste goes to landfill in the Scenic Rim. As a community we all have the ability to inspire positive change and look at ways to reduce, reuse or recycle as much of that waste as possible," he said.

“Getting our younger generations involved in the conversation around waste and resource recovery as early as possible can only inspire positive outcomes in years to come.

“Last year’s entrants really highlighted the resourcefulness of the young people in our communities and how interested they are in a greener future.

“We all have the shared responsibility to keep the Scenic Rim spectacular. The Reduce and Reuse competition supports this vision and inspires the younger generation to join in on the effort.

“We are looking forward to seeing what innovative and creative ideas entrants come up with this year."

Entrants are required to fill out an online form which can be found on Council’s website www.scenicrim.qld.gov.au/reimagine-waste. Entrants can start working on their challenge now and will be able to submit entries from today, 4 October to 28 October 2022.

ENDS