Petition to ACT Government to include food waste in the expanded Green Bin Collection Service
The ACT Government is running a trial or pilot green waste service in the suburbs of Chapman, Duffy, Fisher, Holder, Rivett, Stirling, Waramanga, Weston and Kambah. The pilot program will help the government understand how best to roll out green bins across the ACT.
In the pilot, green bins are for lawn clippings, small branches, weeds and other garden waste: collectively known as garden organics (GO). The green waste collection service is scheduled to be extended to Belconnen in late 2019, with all suburbs across Canberra to be included in 2020.
The current green waste service is a missed opportunity. The largest single component by weight in ACT residential waste to landfill is food waste (food organics – FO).
Local councils around Australia are now rolling out food and garden waste collection services. Green bins for garden waste alone is an outdated approach. Collection services for food and garden waste are available in neighbouring Queanbeyan-Palerang Shire Council for residents in Braidwood, Bungendore and Captain’s Flat. They’re also available in other councils around Australia.
Benefits of including food in the extended green bin collection service:
Diverting up to 40% of waste from landfill. A typical Canberra household bin includes up to 40-50% food waste. Less waste to lanfill reduces impact on the budget and the environment.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from landfill. When food waste breaks down in a landfill, it produces methane, a greenhouse gas that has 25 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide. Taking household food waste out of landfill and recycling it by composting removes the greenhouse gas impact of food waste. Greenhouse gas emissions from landfill contribute 2.6% of the ACT’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
Producing compost for local farmers to use, closing the production and consumption loop.
The current green waste collection pilot doesn’t help us to avoid landfill waste and it displaces a private “trash pack” system that was working well providing local small business jobs and high-quality material to composters. According to the ACT Waste Management Strategy, prior to the green bin trial, Canberra was already meeting International Best practice for garden waste management, with 90% of garden waste already diverted from through a combination of private collection services and private recycling.
We are asking the ACT Government to upgrade the green bin pilot program, to include both food organics and garden organics (FOGO) in the green bin collection service. If you are interested in supporting this call to make the green bins suitable for both food organics and garden organics then please sign the petition below. We will forward the petition to the ACT Government and we will keep you informed of updates through our newsletter.
Source information:
Background on current green waste collection trial https://www.tccs.act.gov.au/recycling-and-waste/green-bin-pilot-program
Queanbeyan-Palerang Shire situation https://www.palerang.nsw.gov.au/environment/waste-management/waste-collection-calendars
Up to 40% of Canberra waste is food waste. Derived from Australian Government household waste report, stating 35% of a typical household waste is food waste. Noting specific circumstances in Canberra, with 40-50% of a typical household bin being food and garden waste combined and that Canberra currently has best practice garden waste management with 90% of garden waste being diverted from landfill.
Australian government report: https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct;=j&q;=&esrc;=s&source;=web&cd;=2&ved;=0ahUKEwiGt4XLgI3XAhVHopQKHcKzCLAQFggwMAE&url;=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.environment.gov.au%2Fsystem%2Ffiles%2Fresources%2F8b73aa44-aebc-4d68-b8c9-c848358958c6%2Ffiles%2Fcollection-manual-fs2.docx&usg=AOvVaw1NZPg_NQpBTranW5Naj1q1
Canberra waste (pages 10 and 11): http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/576916/ACT-Waste-Strategy-Policy_access.pdf
Contribution of landfill emissions to overall greenhouse gas emissions for the ACT. http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1021141/ACT-Greenhouse-Gas-Inventory-for-2015-16.pdf (Table 3)
90% of garden waste diverted from landfill in the ACT (page 11) http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/576916/ACT-Waste-Strategy-Policy_access.pdf