An exciting development accompanying the Banyule MRF is the on site, state of the art ‘Rethink Waste Wise Education Centre’. Effective and viable recycling is dependent on the cooperation of residents and industry.
It requires people to be conscious of the amount of waste they generate and mindful of how they dispose of waste materials. At the Rethink Waste Wise Education Centre, the waste management message is brought home in a graphic way.
A combination of interactive educational resources emphasise that we are all responsible for the resources we use. Tutoring facilities, displays, computer programs and videos combine to send the message to students at primary, secondary and tertiary levels and to the corporate world.
The Centre was established and is run by Council. The name of the Centre is designed to emphasise the fourth ‘R’. Traditionally, the three ‘Rs’ of waste management have been Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Banyule wants to add ‘Rethink’.
This will show people that simply putting papers and bottles out a couple of times a month is not enough. One person can make a significant difference when they are aware of the impact of their actions on the long term environment.
The Centre will include a History Wall inviting visitors to take a journey with mankind from caves to shops to emphasise the extreme longevity of many common items, such as plastic spoons.
Ramesh Choudari Director City Works said having the Education Centre together with the MRF meant visitors could be shown the process in action, and comprehend the enormity of the task of managing the disposal of waste.
