Yarriambiack residents will soon be receiving their new glass recycling kerbside bin. The introduction of this kerbside bin is an important first step towards improving the performance of our recycling in the Yarriambiack Shire.
Glass is the biggest contamination issue in mixed recycling as it breaks easily and becomes embedded in other recyclable materials such as hard plastic, paper and cardboard. The result is contaminated recycling that reduces the ability of recyclers to process the material and use it in new products.
With the changing nature of recycling in recent years, where both state and Federal governments are now promoting and mandating onshore processing of recyclable materials, it is critical that, as a council, we work with our residents to reduce both recycling contamination and the amount of material that has to be sent to landfill. This not only has good environmental outcomes but also has benefits with the development of new industries and businesses that can use recycled materials.
Getting our recycling right will also play a significant role in minimising the cost of council kerbside recycling services. In conjunction with Sustainability Victoria we will be rolling out the Small Actions Big Impact waste education campaign in the coming months to help our residents improve their understanding of recycling and why everyone needs to play their role in getting it right. You will be receiving a more comprehensive information pack later in May that will explain what goes into each bin and a calendar of collection dates.
Separating out glass will also help to re-localise some of our recycling. The glass that is collected from our residents, along with glass from neighbouring councils, will be crushed at the Warracknabeal Transfer Station and utilised in local council projects instead of sand. This is the first project of its type for Yarriambiack and will help to demonstrate that small rural Councils can do more than just collect recycling.
Getting the right materials into the right bin is important and we don’t want people to be confused about what can put into each bin. In the coming months there will be a range of new educational material to help people to get the right material into the right bin.
If you have any queries about the new glass recycling bin service or understanding what should go into each bin then please contact the Waste & Sustainability Coordinator, La Vergne Lehmann on 0408 121 118 or by email llehmann@yarriambiack.vic.gov.au.
