Port Phillip's recycling is rubbish
Port Phillip householders are among the state’s worst recyclers.
Sustainability Victoria’s latest local government annual survey shows the city ranked 47 out of 79 municipalities in recycling rates from rubbish collections in 2008-09.
Just 35 per cent of all household waste was recycled, 12 per cent below the state average.
Despite Port Phillip residents recycling 419kg of waste per household, they threw out 567kg of rubbish a year.
Port Phillip mayor Frank O’Connor said the low rate was because the council did not have a weekly green waste collection.
It would improve when the council introduced new projects to increase the amount of recyclables and green organics, he said.
“Inner-metropolitan councils range from 18 to 42 per cent on average of waste diversion from landfill,” Cr O’Connor said.
“Residents consistently achieve the upper end of 35 per cent per annum, which places the City of Port Phillip in the top end of the inner-metropolitan sector.”
Port Phillip EcoCentre director Neil Blake said the figures were hard to interpret because more green waste collections would not necessarily help the problem.
“What we would encourage to lessen green waste collection is the purchase of a worm farm and composting at home or people can put their scraps in our bays here,” Mr Blake said.
“Worm farms are good, even in offices that use teabags.”
Source: Port Phillip Leader: http://port-phillip-leader.whereilive.com.au
