The Hills Shire Council will trial an expansion of its E-Waste recycling program, doubling its frequency to twice a year.
Every year, Council hosts an E-Waste recycling event at Castle Hill Showground, drawing in thousands of residents eager to dispose of their unwanted and broken electronic devices responsibly.
The most recent E-Waste event took place on Saturday 2 March where residents were also given the opportunity to recycle textiles, polystyrene, and plastics as part of a trial.
More than 1500 cars were recorded at Castle Hill Showground, unloading an estimated 45 tonnes of e-waste and hard plastic, four tonnes of textiles, 100 cubic metres of polystyrene, and 75 cubic metres of soft plastics.
The Hills Shire mayor Dr Peter Gangemi said the results were incredible and showed residents’ commitment to recycling their unwanted electronic goods and other waste.
“This is a big win for the environment,” Mayor Gangemi said.
“The opportunity provided by this program to responsibly dispose of e-waste is invaluable, and I’m grateful for everyone’s commitment to protecting our environment.
“Each recycled item means less waste to landfill and promotes a healthier planet.
“I have been proud to lead the initiative for a second E-Waste event in The Hills and I believe our residents will make the most of this opportunity to do more for our environment.”
The second E-Waste event is scheduled for the second half of 2024.
The Hills Shire Council also participated in Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday 3 March.
Residents, Council and community groups including the RFS, volunteers from the Community Environment Centre at Annangrove and Hills Youth Army collected approximately 11 bags of rubbish at Caddies Creek Park Reserve in North Kellyville.
General waste, such as cigarette butts, takeaway coffee cups, batteries, polystyrene, rubber bands, plastic drink bottles and much more, were collected on the day.
Some of the more interesting items that were removed from the site included a shopping trolley, plastic chair, motorbike boots, a bicycle, rope, and a gridiron ball.
“I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who joined me at Caddies Creek Park Reserve for Clean Up Australia Day,” Mayor Gangemi said.
“The dedication and work of our volunteers was outstanding.
“This year, we directed our efforts towards preserving our waterways, especially following the exciting discovery of platypus inhabiting local rivers and creeks. We were fortunate to have the expertise of the wonderful Dr Michelle Ryan from Western Sydney University, who delivered an insightful talk on the significance of maintaining pollution-free waterways, especially to protect the platypus.”
Clean Up Australia Day is an annual event that encourages communities to protect the environment by cleaning up their local areas. The event has been inspiring people for over 30 years.
