Residents of the City of Clarence in Tasmania are among the country’s best recyclers. The increased enthusiasm for rubbish is a result of Council’s revised Waste Management Strategy. The strategy, based on a waste management hierarchy of ‘avoidance, re-use, recycle and dispose’ has led to a recycling participation rate of nearly 90 per cent.
Council has also reduced the amount of waste going to landfill by a quarter and closed the local tip. The Lauderdale site is now being rehabilitated into a recreation area and proposed wildlife sanctuary.
Clarence’s waste management strategy was hatched in the early 1990s. At the time, domestic garbage was collected manually, with residents using a range of bin types. There were high injury rates among garbage collectors and workers’ compensation claims to Council. The City also had to contend with a rapidly filling tip site with limited life.
The Waste Management Strategy committed Council to waste minimisation, in line with national goals, and the disposal of the City’s waste in an environmentally sensitive and cost effective manner. Community involvement was a key component of the plan. Kerbside recycling was introduced and participation rates are among the highest in Australia.
The Strategy also included the following.
- A monthly kerbside green organic collection, which is unique in Tasmania.
- An annual hard waste collection (Dial-a-Garbo).
- A weekly 80 litre kerbside mobile garbage bin collection.
- Extending the kerbside service into rural residential areas.
- A weekly clothes recycling service.
- Public recycling bins in high litter Council areas.
- Doggy bins at the entrances to most beaches, parks and public reserves.
- The construction of the Mornington Park Waste Transfer Station, including a recovery centre and community education facility.
- The establishment of the Copping residual waste facility, run in conjunction with Sorell and Tasman Councils.
- The closure and rehabilitation of the Lauderdale tip.
A community awareness campaign was central to the success of the Strategy, which was based on community acceptance of the waste management hierarchy.
For further information contact Group Manager Asset Management, John Stevens, email jstevens@ccc.tas.gov.au or telephone (03) 6245 8624.
