2018-2022 Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan - Building a sustainable Somerset - Somerset Regional ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan Building a sustainable Somerset 2018-2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 3 Executive Summary 4 Legislative Framework 6 Corporate Plan Link 8 Community Profile 9 Key Waste Management Principles 12 Waste Streams 14 Council Waste Services 15 Landfill 15 Transfer Stations 17 Kerbside Collection Services 21 Recycling Services 21 Recycling Initiatives 24 Initiatives and Strategies 28 Challenges 29 Waste Levy 31 Baseline Characteristics 32 Wheelie Bin Audits 33 Consultation, Implementation and Review 35
Waste Reduction
and Recycling Plan
Building a sustainable Somerset
2018-2022
INTRODUCTION
In Australia, the current levels of waste generation and disposal are
unsustainable. The Queensland Government’s Waste and Recycling
Strategy for 2010 – 2020 is an attempt to drive us towards the goal
of significantly reducing the levels of waste and changing the mind
shift where disposal is seen as the last, not a first, option.
The strategy that Somerset Regional Council is implementing will give
Council and the community the direction to meet several waste reduction
goals. The result, will see a reduction in the reliance on landfill, promote
more efficient recycling and ultimately reduce the carbon footprint of
Somerset residents over the coming years.
3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Somerset Regional Council currently operates four refuse and recycling
centres and one operational landfill. The landfill at Esk has about
15-20 years of life remaining (at current waste levels).
As at 2018, there are 10,700 households receiving a weekly kerbside collection service and 1,700 of
these households receive a fortnightly kerbside recycling service.
Together, we need to address the issue of waste reduction.
Council is committed to finding ways to minimise the amount of waste going to landfill and encouraging
increased usage of recycling initiatives available within the region.
This will be achieved by the setting of the following initiatives:
1. Promote the waste hierarchy message of the 3 R’s - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
2. Through effective recycling, re-using and composting of materials, reduce the amount of
waste going to landfill
3. Investigate opportunities to partner with neighbouring Council areas to address management
of all waste streams, including reduction, reuse, recycling and waste to energy projects
4. Promote recycling within Council owned buildings
As a region we generate (as at 2018) about 15,500 tonnes of waste per annum, and recover and/
or recycle about 20% of that waste. The most recent wheelie bin audit identified that approximately
50% of waste received can be potentially recycled and/or recovered. Through implementing the above
targets, we are hopeful of increasing the levels of recovered and recycled materials and therefore intend
to decrease the amount of waste that ultimately ends up in landfill.
Figures from the 2016 Census identified that our population of 25,173 was generating about 615kg of
waste per person, per year.
To enable effective management of waste within Somerset, Council will continue to provide free
recycling at its four refuse and recycling centres. Further, Council is committed to following the key
waste management objectives:
• Recognition of the Waste Management Hierarchy (page 13)
• Polluter pays principle
• User pays principle
• Product stewardship principle (eg: e-Waste)
Besides the introduction of a mandatory waste levy set by the state government, there are also several
programs being considered for introduction in 2018.
• Banning of single-use plastic bags
• Container refund scheme
• e-Waste
4
In the setting of the above four objectives, Council recognises there are certain challenges that need
to be overcome and while we have been aware of some of them, several have been exacerbated in
recent times.
Recycling in Australia is at a crossroads. The ban of waste imports into China is recognised as being
an enormous threat to recycling in Australia. Some companies that would ordinarily accept recyclables
are now refusing to do so, resulting in potentially rising costs and items that would have normally have
been recycled going to landfill. This is especially so for some plastics and glass as there is now a
diminishing market for these products both in Australia and abroad.
Somerset Regional Council and other local authorities throughout Australia are now trying to find
alternative methods to deal with the recyclables that are being collected.
Somerset has no single large population centre, there are five small towns and approximately 66 small
villages dispersed throughout the region. Somerset has a large area with a relatively low and widely
spread population.
Brisbane City has over 1 million people living in 1,343 square kilometres, 842 persons/km2 compared
to Somerset that has 25,000 living in 5,379 kilometres or approximately 5 persons/km2. As another
comparison Ipswich City Council who have been vocal on the challenges they face with regards to
kerbside recycling have 166 persons/km2. The reality is it will cost Somerset Regional Council and its
ratepayers significantly more to recycle than our neighbouring Council areas.
The challenge for Somerset Regional Council is to look at ways to primarily avoid, reduce and reuse
while at the same time looking for more efficient ways of recycling. Recycling for the sake of recycling
may not necessarily be the best approach for our region now. Minimising contamination and recycling
the right materials is a logical approach and one that can help build an economic and environmentally
sustainable solution for the region in the long term.
We are constantly looking for ways to recycle more effectively and will seek advice from peak bodies
within the recycling industry to allow us to achieve this in the best interests of our community.
This plan underwent a period of public consultation after which all
comments received were discussed by council and considered for
inclusion into the final plan.
The plan will undergo an annual review and will expire in 2022 at which
time a review will be undertaken.
5
LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
There are many state based acts, regulations, policies and strategies
that have been created to deal with waste management in Australia.
There is overwhelming agreement that there needs to be a reduction
in the amount of waste material directed to landfill, and as such more
responsibility is being placed on Councils with regards to recycling
strategies within their regions.
The applicable legislation along with a brief introduction detailing the relevance to local authorities and
the waste management strategy is as follows:
Queensland Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011
The Queensland Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 require local governments to prepare a
Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan which must consider:
a) actions to be taken to improve waste reduction and recycling
b) details of current and proposed waste infrastructure
c) the management and monitoring of the local government’s performance under the plans
d) information about achieving continuous improvement in waste management
e) other matters prescribed under a regulation about the requirements for a local
government’s waste reduction and recycling plans
The aim of this document is to fulfil the obligations of the Act through the implementation of effective
waste management operations across the Somerset Regional Council area.
6
Queensland’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Strategy 2010-2020
This strategy is a 10-year plan to achieve the government’s vision of a low-waste Queensland.
The strategy is underpinned by the waste and resource management hierarchy. This internationally
recognised framework for managing waste generation and disposal describes the preferred order for
managing wastes and resources.
The hierarchy places waste reduction as the preferred option, followed by reuse, through recycling and
recovery options to disposal as the least preferred approach.
Other important guiding principles that inform the strategy are resource efficiency, sustainability,
engagement, and capacity building.
Based on these principles, the strategy’s broad goals are to:
1) reduce waste
2) optimise recovery and recycling
3) develop sustainable waste industries and jobs.
To achieve these goals the strategy adopts a five-part approach:
1) Clear targets and priorities
2) Setting a price signal – the waste disposal levy
3) Stronger regulation
4) New programs and investment strategies
5) Partnering for change
A copy of this strategy can be found by going to the Department of Environment and Science’s website
at www.ehp.qld.gov.au/waste
7
CORPORATE PLAN LINK
Council has developed a Corporate Plan which sets out the issues and
priorities for Council over a five year period. The current Corporate Plan
was created in 2016 and expires in June 2021.
The corporate plan is the document from which other plans and policies are made. It is an important
strategic document that allows Council to meet the present and future needs of the community by
setting a clear vision from which to draw from.
It is from this document where Council identified waste management as a major priority and lists long
term strategies for waste management.
PROSPEROUS SOMERSET
A place that embraces economic opportunities
Recover net costs of waste operations
and new waste infrastructure from all
beneficiaries.
NATURAL SOMERSET
A place where the natural environment and
rural lifestyle are valued and protected
Take a long term view of waste
management issues to ensure the best
outcomes for the Region.
8
COMMUNITY PROFILE
Geography
The area administered by Somerset Regional Council (SRC) covers 5379 sq km; its administrative
centre is located at Esk approximately 60 km north west of Ipswich. The Council area is surrounded
by the local government areas of Gympie Regional Council to the north, Sunshine Coast and Moreton
Bay Regional Councils and Brisbane City to the east, Ipswich City Council and Lockyer Valley Regional
Council to the south, and Regional Councils of Toowoomba and South Burnett to the west.
Somerset is the largest of all south east Queensland local government authorities, with the smallest
rate base. With that comes many challenges.
At Somerset Dam, about midway along the eastern boundary, the Stanley River flows into the Brisbane
River just downstream from the dam. This river junction is the upstream limit of Lake Wivenhoe.
Somerset Dam holds 380,000 ML at full capacity and covers an area of 4210 hectares. Wivenhoe
Dam, at full supply level, holds 1,165,240 ML, and covers an area of 10,820 hectares, with a shoreline
of around 400 kilometres.
Lockyer Creek, flows into the area from the Lockyer Valley and joins the Brisbane River just downstream
from Wivenhoe Dam. The southern end of the Council’s area generally consists of creek and river flats
supporting small crop farming and is the area most likely to be subjected to flooding of any significance.
9
The majority of other usable land in the Council area lies among low hilly country used for grazing with
small areas under forestation.
The Brisbane Valley Highway from Ipswich and Brisbane enters the area at its southeast corner and
runs the full length of the Council area in a north, north-westerly direction, intersecting with the D’Aguilar
Highway west of Kilcoy. The Warrego Highway forms the southern extremity of the Council’s area for a
short distance as it crosses the Minden Range.
Climate and Weather
The climate of the area is characterised by high variability in rainfall and temperature with the summer
rainfalls occurring between October and March producing approximately 70-75% of the annual
precipitation. The heaviest rainfalls generally occur in January and February.
The average annual rainfall varies between 650 mm and 850 mm. Daytime temperatures are in the
20 – 30 degree range for most of the year, although short periods of heat wave conditions can be
experienced. Occasional frosts occur in mid-winter.
Population
The estimated population of the Somerset Region on 30 June 2016 was 25,173 with a median age
of 42.1 years. This is approximately 5 years older than that of the median age for the entire state of
Queensland.
The population is expected to grow to 35,915 by the year 30 June 2036 growing at a rate faster than
the State average.
Average
annual
As at 30 June
growth
LGA / State rate
2011–
2011(a) 2016 2021 2026 2031 2036
2036
— number — %
Somerset (R) 22,200 25,120 27,582 30,303 33,113 35,915 1.9
Queensland 4,476,778 4,853,048 5,250,292 5,730,062 6,240,546 6,763,153 1.7
ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2016
10Industry
The Somerset Region has a broad mix of industry within the region, the major employment being within
the Manufacturing sector. Agriculture, forestry and fishing are also a major employer in the region and
approximately three (3) times the State average for the sector.
Industry Somerset (R) LGA Queensland
number % number %
Agriculture, forestry and
850 9.2 60,608 2.8
fishing
Mining 141 1.5 49,997 2.3
Manufacturing 1,145 12.4 128,787 6
Electricity, gas, water and
169 1.8 23,883 1.1
waste services
Construction 853 9.2 191,338 9
Wholesale trade 254 2.7 56,370 2.6
Retail trade 836 9 211,778 9.9
Accommodation and food
401 4.3 156,670 7.3
services
Transport, postal and
580 6.3 108,083 5.1
warehousing
Information media and
50 0.5 25,265 1.2
telecommunications
Financial and insurance
100 1.1 54,286 2.5
services
Rental, hiring and real
127 1.4 42,500 2
estate services
Professional, scientific and
278 3 133,652 6.3
technical services
Administrative and support
261 2.8 75,336 3.5
services
Public administration and
638 6.9 140,164 6.6
safety
Education and training 733 7.9 192,143 9
Health care and social
939 10.1 276,945 13
assistance
Arts and recreation
122 1.3 33,667 1.6
services
Other services 343 3.7 83,470 3.9
Total 9,270 100 2,136,455 100
ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2016
11KEY WASTE MANAGEMENT
PRINCIPLES
In developing and implementing this plan Council will endeavour to follow
the key principles for sustainable waste management, namely;
• Recognition of the Waste Management Hierarchy
• Polluter pays principle
• User pays principle
• Product stewardship principle
Waste Management Hierarchy
The waste hierarchy refers to the “3 Rs” reduce, reuse and recycle, which classify waste management
strategies according to their desirability in terms of waste minimisation. The waste hierarchy remains
the cornerstone of most waste management strategies.
The aim of the waste hierarchy is to extract the maximum practical benefits from products and to
generate the minimum amount of waste see: resource
recovery.
The least desirable method of waste minimisation is at
the bottom of the hierarchy. As you move up, the more
greenhouse gains there are to be made.
Re-use requires far less energy than recycling and
has a very important role to play in waste minimisation.
This is not a new concept as Flea Markets, classified ads,
eBay and Gumtree have all been around for a long time
in varying degrees and consumers are using these each
and every day.
Reduce requires even less energy.
Avoid is the ultimate goal and the highest point on the
hierarchy. Removing plastic bags from shopping centres
is an example of avoiding waste altogether.
12Polluter pays principle
The polluter pays principle is the principle that all costs associated with the management of waste
should, if practicable, be borne by the persons who generated the waste. This will generally require
The costs associated with the management of waste may include the costs of—
• minimising the amount of waste generated; and
• containing, treating and disposing of waste; and
• rectifying environmental harm caused by waste.
User pays principle
The user pays principle is the principle that all costs associated with the use of a resource should, if
practicable, be included in the prices of the goods and services that result from the use.
Product Stewardship principle
The Product Stewardship Act 2011 came into effect on 8 August 2011 and provides a framework to
effectively manage the environmental, health and safety impacts of products, and in particular those
impacts associated with the disposal of such products.
One area that this legislation impacts on is that of e-Waste. The legislation sets out government
regulations for recycling televisions, computers and computer products. It aims to reduce the number
of these products ending up in landfill by increasing the recycling rate from 17 per cent in 2010 to 80
per cent by 2021-22.
13WASTE STREAMS
In the 2016/2017 financial year the Somerset region produced 15,500
tonnes of waste. This waste predominantly made its way to Council’s four
refuse and recycling centres in Somerset. Kerbside collection of recycling
materials in the former Kilcoy Shire Council area is taken to a processing
facility on the Sunshine Coast.
The majority of the waste collected comes from weekly kerbside collections with only 1% of waste
coming from commercial and industrial (C&I) sources. Many commercial enterprises engage a skip bin
service that generally takes the waste to areas outside of Somerset.
LEFT: Esk Refuse and Recycling
Centre and Landfill
14COUNCIL WASTE SERVICES
There are four waste transfer station facilities in Somerset including one
landfill. General waste from transfer stations at Kilcoy, Coominya and
Harlin are transported for disposal to the Esk landfill site. Recyclables
from Kilcoy are transported to recycling centres outside our region,
namely the Sunshine Coast.
The following materials are generally accepted at these transfer stations:
• General waste
• Metals
• Glass
• Cardboard
• Oil
• Batteries
• Aluminium cans
• Furniture
• Bridge timber
• Gas cylinders
• Green waste
• Rocks
• drumMUSTER
• E-waste
Of the above items only general waste is disposed in the landfill, the remaining items are recycled or
reused – though some residual items will still make their way into landfill.
At each of the transfer stations (including the Esk Landfill), tip shops operate to assist in selling collected
items to the general public to promote the re-use initiative.
Landfill
Council currently operates one landfill site in the region. The Esk Landfill was built in 2002 and consists
of six stages with a total capacity of 800,000 m3. Construction of stages three and four have been
completed. It is estimated about 600,000 m3 of landfill space remains and at current rates we would
expect another 15-20 years from this site.
Proposed developments in Somerset along with projected population increases could reduce the
lifespan of the Esk Landfill unless measures are taken to divert waste from landfill.
15Esk Landfill
Facility Type Refuse and Recycling Centre and landfill
Location 30 Murrumba Road, Esk
Contact 5424 2976
Tip Shop in Operation Tip Shop and Compost
Open daily from Friday to Tuesday from 8am to 5pm. Closed
Hours of Operation
Wednesdays, Thursdays and public holidays.
The Esk Landfill consists of six stages with a total capacity of 800,000 m3. It
Future is estimated about 600,000 m3 of landfill space remains and at current rates
we would expect another 15-20 years from this site.
16Transfer Stations
There are three transfer stations in Somerset at Kilcoy, Harlin and Coominya. These facilities are run by
private contractors on behalf of Council.
The following items are typically accepted at these transfer stations
• General Waste
• Metals
• Cardboard
• Glass (bottles)
• Oil
• Batteries
• Aluminium cans
• Furniture
• Gas cylinders
• Green waste
• drumMUSTER
• E-waste
Of the above waste material, only general waste is typically transferred to the Esk landfill site.
17Kilcoy Transfer Station
Facility Type Refuse and Recycling Centre
Location 107 Carseldine Street, Kilcoy
Contact 0408 733 789
Tip Shop in Operation Tip Shop and Compost
Open daily from Friday to Tuesday from 8am to 5pm. Closed
Hours of Operation
Wednesdays, Thursdays and public holidays.
18Harlin Transfer Station
Facility Type Refuse and Recycling Centre
Location 8752 Brisbane Valley Highway
Contact 5423 5179
Tip Shop in Operation Tip Shop and Compost
Open daily from Wednesday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
Hours of Operation
Closed Mondays, Tuesdays and public holidays.
19Coominya Transfer Station
Facility Type Refuse and Recycling Centre
Location 137 Wills Road, Coominya
Contact 0428 854 690
Tip Shop in Operation Tip Shop and Compost
Open daily from Wednesday to Sunday from 8am to 5pm. Closed
Hours of Operation
Mondays, Tuesdays and public holidays
20Kerbside Collection Services
Kerbside waste collection services are weekly to households with an approved wheelie bin service.
A second fortnightly kerbside recycling service is conducted for residents in the former Kilcoy Shire
Council area. These recyclables are taken to a recycling facility on the Sunshine Coast.
Recycling
Recycling within Somerset is undertaken at all four recycling centres. People are encouraged to bring
their recycling items to the Esk Landfill, Kilcoy, Coominya and the Harlin Refuse and Recycling Centres
for free. A kerbside recycling service operates in the area covered by the former Kilcoy Shire boundary.
Service Operated by Operating Times Product
Esk Refuse Council Closed Wednesday • Metals
and Recycling and Thursday
• Glass
Centre and
8am to 5pm
Landfill • Cardboard
• Commercial/Industrial
• Construction/Demolition
• Oil
• Batteries
• Aluminium cans
• Furniture
• Bridge timber
• Gas cylinders
• Green waste
• Rocks
• drumMUSTER
• Concrete
• E-Waste
21Kilcoy Refuse Private Closed Wednesday
• Metals
and Recycling Contractor and Thursday
Centre • Glass
• Cardboard
8am to 5pm
• Oil
• Batteries
• Aluminium cans
• Furniture
• Bridge timber
• Gas cylinders
• Green waste
• Rocks
• drumMUSTER
• Concrete
• E-Waste
Coominya Private Closed Monday and • Metals
Refuse and Contractor Tuesday.
• Glass
Recycling
Centre • Cardboard
8m to 5pm
• Oil
• Batteries
• Aluminium cans
• Furniture
• Bridge timber
• Gas cylinders
• Green waste
• Rocks
• drumMUSTER
• Concrete
22Harlin Refuse Private Closed Monday and • Metals
and Recycling Contractor Tuesday
• Glass
Centre
• Cardboard
9am to 5pm
• Oil
• Batteries
• Aluminium cans
• Furniture
• Bridge timber
• Gas cylinders
• Green waste
• Rocks
• drumMUSTER
• Concrete
Green waste
Green waste is chipped at all
locations and reused as mulch by
Council and also sold to the local
community
Council has implemented several initiatives to recycle and re-use where possible, including:
• Concrete received at transfer stations and landfill is stored and crushed when required
and used as road base when constructing and maintaining Council’s roads. Council
also re-uses concrete for scour protection on some projects.
• Mulch is used within the parks and gardens section of Council, when considered
suitable.
• Road maintenance crews will use mulch for bank stability and weed suppression.
23RECYCLING INITIATIVES –
PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP
Council currently provides free recycling at each of its four facilities. In
addition, Council is implementing several initiatives that come at little or
no cost to ratepayers.
e-Waste
Council is currently trialling an e-Waste recycling
agreement with CDS Recycling. The trial will
run until 31 December 2019 with the hope to
continue utilising their service on an ongoing
basis.
Generally, anything that has a power plug and
can fit into the provided bins (3m x 3m) will be
accepted.
Container Refund Point
Operator (CRPO)
The Queensland Government is introducing a Container Refund Scheme. Under the scheme, empty
eligible drink containers with an approved refund mark can returned to a container refund centre for
a 10 cent refund. The scheme will not apply to some containers such as Milk and Fruit Juice as it is
primarily being used to target containers used away from home – such as soft drink and water bottles.
This Scheme starts on 1 November 2018.
Council is working closely with companies in the area that will be providing this service into the future.
Council will be supportive of any initiative that takes advantage of the scheme, is beneficial to the
community and is performed at little or no cost to the ratepayer.
Council has been advised that Anuha have received approval to operate a number of Container Refund
Points within Somerset, namely Fernvale, Esk and Kilcoy.
It is unknown what impact this scheme will have on the overall amount of recycling material being
withdrawn from the current recyclables waste stream.
drumMUSTER
drumMUSTER provides an easy and
environmentally friendly way for people to
dispose of their empty farming chemical
containers.
Council provides facilities at each of its Refuse
and Recycling Centres for the drop-off of
chemicals and containers to be reused or
recycled through the drumMUSTER program.
24INITIATIVES – COUNCIL
In adhering to the concept of the waste hierarchy principle, Council has
identified four initiatives for implementation as part of this waste reduction
and recycling plan, they are:
1) Promote the waste hierarchy message of the 3 R’s - Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle
While considered aspirational, the avoidance of waste is the
ultimate goal of waste hierarchy. Reducing the amount of
waste of an individual is something more readily achievable.
Here are some of things we can do to reduce the amount
of waste we produce;
• Always take your own shopping bags at the
supermarket. From 1 July 2018 single-use plastic
shopping bags will be banned in Queensland.
• Choose products with minimal packaging, and
avoid individually wrapped products
• Buy products in reusable, refillable or recyclable
packaging
• Avoid packaging fruit and vegetables in plastic
bags
• Avoid disposable items such as nappies, paper
serviettes, towels and tissues
• Buy long-lasting kitchen utensils, household
products and clothing
• Reduce packaging by buying in bulk
• Lobby government and industry to look at
innovative packaging. This could be achieved
through engagement with the Local Government ABOVE: Filtered water refill stations
Association of Queensland (LGAQ).
2) Through recycling, re-use and
composting help in reducing the amount
of waste that makes its way to landfill
Re-use Reusing is another way of decreasing the
amount of waste we throw away, which in turn decreases
the volume of waste destined for the Esk landfill. There
are many ways to reuse things we consider unwanted or
no longer useful. Here are a couple of examples that may ABOVE: Donating unwanted clothing
seem obvious, yet still we see large numbers of these enter to lifeline is a good example of re-
our landfill; using items that could have made its
way to landfill
25• Donate clothing to charities
• Use your plastic bags as bin liners
• Donate your toys to a local school or day care centre
• Council to continue to re-use concrete by crushing the waste concrete to use as road
base on construction projects. Further, Council has reused existing timber components
during its bridge renewal program.
Recycling When manufacturers use recycled materials to make a new product, they
use fewer natural resources and potentially less energy than if they had used raw materials.
For example, recycling aluminium uses only 5% of the energy used to created new aluminium
and emits only 5% of the greenhouse gases.
By ensuring we promote recycling in the region we can do our bit to save some of that energy.
Composting A significant amount of what we throw away each week is food scraps
and garden waste. By recycling this waste in our backyards we are saving valuable landfill
space, and reducing methane gas emissions from our landfills.
What to compost:
• Food Scraps
• meat
• dairy
• vegetables
• fruit
• paper
• bones
• tea bags
• coffee grounds
• egg shells
• Leaves
• Plants and weeds
• Potting Soil
263) Investigate opportunities to partner with neighbouring Council
areas to address management of all waste streams, including
reduction, reuse, recycling and waste to energy projects
Council will look at forming alliances with neighbouring Council areas to explore opportunities with
regards to waste management. This could have significant benefits for Somerset due to the size
and scale of those Councils who we are hoping to partner with.
4) Promote recycling within Council owned buildings
To minimise waste that would normally go to landfill, Council will look at ways of reducing waste.
This will be achieved by the establishment of a Waste Minimisation strategy, and communication to
all staff regarding its implementation.
27Initiatives and Strategies
Initiatives Strategy
Promote the waste • Participate in recycling week each year by issuing press releases and/or
hierarchy message social media posts promoting recycling
of the 3 R’s - Reduce,
• Communicate with schools regarding recycling week and how all the
Reuse, Recycle
community can participate
• Place a link on Council’s website highlighting recycling activities
• Installation of E-waste facilities at council’s four Refuse and Recycling Centres
Through recycling, • Continue to provide recycling opportunities at each of our facilities – i.e. Esk,
re-use and composting Kilcoy Coominya and Harlin
help in reducing the
• Establish detailed data collection to help measure the quantities received
amount of waste that
each year to help the understanding of our waste streams and any increase/
makes its way to landfill
decrease in behaviour. Look at utilising technology to assist in the recording
of data and possible issuing of receipts.
• Promote the Tip Shops in our region by highlighting those activities as part of
Recycling Week and at other times throughout the year, i.e. Council Quarterly
newsletter
• Look at options for providing free dumping of green waste to promote that
activity and divert green waste away from landfill.
• When installing surfacing to playgrounds, look favourably on suppliers who
utilise recycled or renewable materials.
• Through education and training, increase the amount of recovered material at
each of our facilities. For example, a 10% rise in recyclable material recovered
across all streams.
• Look for options to deal with recyclables that currently have limited markets
at present, for example glass.
• Communicate with peak recycling bodies to see what assistance they might
be able to give us with recycling initiatives, and in particular finding of markets
for recyclable material
• Support the CRPO scheme when it becomes operational
Investigate opportunities
to partner with
neighbouring Council • Council will look at forming alliances with neighbouring Council areas to
areas to address explore opportunities to possibly manage waste collection at a regional level.
management of all This could have significant benefits for Somerset due to the size and scale of
waste streams, including those Councils who we are hoping to partner with. All waste streams will be
reduction, reuse, investigated as part of this process.
recycling and waste to
energy projects
Promote recycling within • Develop a waste minimisation strategy for Council buildings
Council owned buildings
• Provide recycling bins at each of Council buildings to allow for recyclable
materials to be placed in suitable bins.
28CHALLENGES
The Somerset Region has a large area with a relatively low and widely
spread population. Brisbane City has over 1 million people living in 1,343
square kilometres, 842 persons/km2 compared to Somerset that has
25,000 living in 5,379 kilometres or approximately 5 persons/km2. As
another comparison Ipswich City Council who have been vocal on the
challenges they face have 166 persons/km2.
Somerset has no single large population centre, there
are 5 small towns and approximately 66 small villages
dispersed throughout the region.
Population dispersal causes a very high cost in providing
a kerbside recycling service. This also results in an
imbalance between the negative and positive aspects
of implementing a kerbside recycling collection service.
For example, the trucks used for collection generate
approximately 2.64 kg of C02 emissions per litre of
diesel fuel. This is in addition to the energy consumed
in providing a new vehicle every 10 years and the use of
other consumables such as oil and tyres.
An increase in contamination rates (as advised by
neighbouring Council’s), uncertainty in the recycling
market and the impacts regarding the potential
environmental issues caused by collection are factors
that Council have considered when developing this plan.
In taking this data into consideration Council is of the
view that a Kerbside collection service should not be
implemented until the underlying factors improve.
Council remains committed to the Waste Management
Hierarchy and will continue to provide recycling options at each of its waste management facilities.
China
Council has found it increasingly difficult to find a market for some of its recyclables, in particular that of
glass. The market for glass has been weak for some time. The graph below shows the drop in prices
for paper and cardboard (fibre), mixed plastics and glass over a 12 month period.
On 1 January 2018, China placed a ban on a range of recyclable material causing a disruption to in
excess of 1.2 million tonnes of material that is exported from Australia each year.
The impacts of this ban are just beginning to take effect. The commodity pricing for recyclables is in
decline. Councils in Victoria and New South Wales have reported that several contractors have begun
to cancel contracts for waste collection leaving those affected in a position where they need to find
alternative contractors and/or solutions as a matter of urgency.
Local Government in Queensland is not immune and discussions with our neighbouring councils have
revealed that contractors are already feeling the pain and as such some of these companies are looking
to renegotiate their waste collection contracts. As a result, the costs to council will most likely be
29substantially increased due to the dwindling market for recyclables this would result in increased costs
that will need to be passed on to the ratepayer.
Also, neighbouring Councils advise that some of this previously recycled material has and will continue
to be sent to landfill or stockpiled in large quantities awaiting a possible resurgence in the commodity
prices. Council sees neither of these as sustainable, long term solutions.
There is much uncertainty regarding recycling of these materials in Australia at this point in time.
Commodity prices for fibre (cardboard and paper),
mixed plastics and glass
30WASTE LEVY
The Queensland State Government has announced that it intends to
reintroduce a waste levy to stop the movement of waste from interstate to
Queensland landfills.
The introduction of this levy will result in South East Queensland landfills being less attractive from
interstate companies hoping to benefit from a lower landfill price in Qld. This was made evident back in
2014 and 2015 when there was a zero dollar waste levy imposed by the State where it was estimated
that 875,000 tonnes of waste travelled by road and rail to Queensland from NSW and Victoria. It
should be noted that Council records do not indicate that interstate dumping has occurred in any of
our facilities.
The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has stated that they would like to see funds
collected from the levy used to develop zero waste technologies.
Somerset Regional Council is supportive of that view.
31BASELINE CHARACTERISTICS
Council holds a significant amount of data which is collected and distributed to the Department of
Environment and Science each year through their annual waste management survey/report. This data
is used to make better decisions with regards to waste management in the region and it is used when
making future and historical comparisons.
2015/2016 2016/2017
No of households: Kerbside waste collection (red top
bins) 8,864 8,968
No of households: Kerbside paper and packaging
recycling collection (yellow top bins) 1,695 1,717
Municipal solid waste disposal (to landfill) 12,041 t 12,211 t
Recycling collections - Kilcoy 371 t 380 t
Commercial and Industrial
• Paper and packaging 17 t 26 t
• Green waste 36 t 34 t
• General waste (to landfill) 7t 45 t
Mixed paper and cardboard recovered 50 t 77 t
Glass recovered 45 t 67 t
Aluminium recovered 18 t 29 t
Green waste recovered 1,328 t 1,100 t
Timber recovered 34 t 33 t
Lead acid batteries recovered 13 t 12 t
e-Waste * 0t 0t
Ferrous metal recovered (scrap metal) 365 t 901 t
Non-ferrous metal recovered (scrap metal) 0t 8t
Concrete recovered 440 t 484 t
Tyres recovered 1t 4t
Mineral oil recovered 4t 4t
*E-waste service is again being trialled in Somerset.
32WHEELIE BIN AUDITS
In an endeavour to understand the composition of the regions kerbside waste, Council periodically
engages a contractor to perform an audit on a number of trucks’ contents. The audit results are
a breakdown of various types of waste. This allows Council to better understand and quantify the
amount of material that goes to landfill that could otherwise be recycled.
See below graph of the average percentages for two trucks audited in the 2014/15 financial year.
Waste description Percentage (%)
Paper/Cardboard 17%
Glass 7%
Plastic 2%
Ferrous - mixed 10%
Non-Ferrous (e.g Aluminium) 2%
Garden and food (organic material) 7%
Concrete 5%
Other waste 50%
TOTAL 100.0%
33From these results we ascertained that:
50% of waste (in this sample) was destined for landfill. This type of waste cannot (currently) be recycled.
The remaining 50% of waste collected can be potentially recycled, composted or re-used.
Through better management of the waste stream, there is an opportunity to divert approximately 50%
wheelie bin waste away from our landfill and as such reduce collection and landfill costs and create a
more sustainable waste management strategy for the region. It should be noted that the sample size
is relatively small (two trucks) and as such can fluctuate greatly between audits. Further, the above
numbers do not factor in potential high levels of contamination which some local authorities have
reported in recent times.
Below is a table showing the comparative tonnage of items sent to landfill using the percentages
revealed in the latest wheelie bin audit.
Waste description Percentage (%) Estimate of Waste to Landfill (t)
Paper/Cardboard 17.00% 2076
Glass 7.00% 855
Plastic 2.00% 244
Ferrous - mixed 10.00% 1221
Non-Ferrous (e.g. Aluminium) 2.00% 244
Garden and food (organic
7.00% 855
material)
Concrete 5.00% 611
Other waste 50.00% 6106
TOTAL 100.00% 12,211
34CONSULTATION,
IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW
Consultation
The draft Somerset Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan 2018 - 2022 was released for public
consultation on Monday, 2 July 2018 and closed at 5pm, 31 July 2018. Twenty-one (21) submissions
were received.
The document was developed internally by Somerset Regional Council.
Council has previously conducted a Kerbside Recycling and Waste Services Survey. This survey,
which ran for several months, has assisted Council in gaining an understanding as to the level of
expectations in the community with regards to recycling in the region.
Implementation
Once adopted, Council will develop operational Action Plans that will assist in ensuring that targets
are met and that these actions are reported to Council through the annual Operational Plan reporting.
In accordance with the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 an annual report will be submitted
to the Department of Environment Science to detail the Council’s implementation and operation of this
plan. This report is due by 30 September of each year after it is implemented, the first annual report
being due on the 30 September 2018.
Review
The plan will undergo annual reviews and will expire in 2022 when an updated plan will be presented
to Council and the Community for consideration.
35Somerset Regional Council a PO Box 117, ESK QLD 4312 p 07 5424 4000 f 07 5424 4099 e mail@somerset.qld.gov.au w www.somerset.qld.gov.au facebook http://www.facebook.com/SomersetRegionalCouncil
You can also read
