Bins a winner
In crisis over its new bin system just last year, Penrith City Council is now celebrating after the concept picked up a coveted award.
Council was among those at the forefront of environmental change when it implemented its three-bin domestic waste system a little over 12 months ago.
At the time there were many complaints, and Council even acknowledged that it had gotten a few things wrong, but its leadership has since delivered outstanding results.
Council was recently recognised at a state level when it received a prestigious ‘Excellence in Sustainability’ Highly Commended award from the Local Government Managers Australia NSW.
Penrith City Mayor, Kevin Crameri, said Penrith City households’ diligent use of the green-lidded organics bin had resulted in the amount of the City’s total waste being diverted from landfill increasing appreciably from 20 per cent to 61 per cent.
“This is a phenomenal result achieved in just a little over 12 months that will lead to long-term environmental benefits for existing and future generations,” Cr Crameri said.
“It is this result that so impressed the judges, but it couldn’t have been achieved without residents’ good work in sorting their household waste.”
By Emma Grodzicki
Food and organics make up more than 50 per cent of domestic waste and Cr Crameri said that being able to divert it from ever dwindling landfill sites also saved ratepayers’ money as the cost to dispose of residual waste, which is paid for through rates, is becoming highly expensive.
“The cost to compost the organics that goes in your green-lidded bin is half the cost of sending the residual waste that goes in your red-lidded bin to landfill,” he said.
“So our ground-breaking domestic waste system is saving the environment and your money. Our domestic waste charge is one of the lowest in Sydney and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is equivalent to taking 4,320 cars off the road.”
The collected organics material has been returned to the community in the form of superior quality compost that is used on local sporting fields, parks and reserves, such as Cranebrook Oval.
Continuing to make the change easier on residents, Council has been delivering packs of 80 kitchen organics bags to all city households on the three bin service.
Source: The Western Weekender
