Byron Shire Council, along with the councils of Lismore, Kyogle, Tweed, Ballina, Richmond Valley and Clarence Valley, and North East Waste, have launched the new ‘Let’s Get Our Scrap Together’ community organics recycling campaign.
The Let’s Get Our Scrap Together campaign, developed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), aims to reduce the amount of food waste lost to landfills and ensure that every scrap is captured by the green bin system, where it can be turned into high quality waste. compost.
This campaign aims to build on the recycling efforts of all Northern Rivers residents, including those of Byron Shire, who have curbside green bin service.
Last year (2021), more than 42,000 tons of food and garden waste from the region was put in green bins.
“The goal of the Let’s Get Our Scrap Together campaign is to do even better by ensuring that our food waste does not end up in landfill, because even though we have saved 42,000 tons of material from being buried in northern rivers, 17,000 tonnes of green waste and organic waste was still put in the red bins,” said Sarah Child, the council’s resource recovery education manager.
“We hope that a series of multimedia advertisements over the next few months will remind people to collect their waste and reduce food waste to landfill,” Ms Child said.
“There will also be presentations in schools and at community events.
“When food and garden waste is sent to landfill, it creates methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than CO2 and conditions in landfills do not allow food to break down properly.
“The correct use of green bins or composting are simple ways each of us can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” she said.