It’s time to talk rubbish – Have Your Say on how waste is managed over the next 10 years

Maroondah City Council is preparing a plan for how waste will be managed over the next 10 years and is calling on the community for their input.

From now until Monday 5 August 2019, residents will have a chance to have their say on Council’s future vision for sustainable waste management as part of the development of a

Councillor and Chair of the Maroondah Environment Advisory Committee Marijke Graham said the strategy would pave the way towards better waste management and resource recovery in Maroondah.

“The strategy will aim to address the challenge of how we reduce and manage Maroondah’s household waste over the next decade. To do this, we’re keen to find out from residents what is important to them in the way waste is managed and their level of satisfaction when it comes to services currently being delivered,” she said.

Council currently provides a landfill, recycling and garden organics wheelie bin collection and processing service to over 44,000 households.

“Each year, the average Maroondah household produces 451kg of waste which is sent to landfill,” Cr Graham said.

“This strategy will set the vision of how we can work towards becoming a waste-free society, where waste is managed as a resource through re-use and recycling, where energy recovery is limited to non-recyclable materials and where landfill is virtually eliminated,” she said.

Council has undertaken research and is considering two new options for managing waste in the future that will reduce its reliance on landfill.

One option is composting food waste in the garden organics bin, rather than food waste going to landfill.

Also, over the next 10 years, Council is considering participating in a group procurement process with the State Government and Melbourne metropolitan councils, with the intention of establishing an Advanced Waste Recourse Recovery Technology to process and treat waste that is currently landfilled. This would reduce waste by up to 93 per cent.

“Another key focus area will be advocating on behalf of our community on waste and resource recovery issues, especially with the current challenges the recycling industry is facing, primarily associated with China’s decision to restrict its import of recyclable materials,” Cr Graham added.

“I encourage residents to take part in our ‘Let’s Talk Rubbish’ survey, which is an important first step in our consultation process that will help shape the draft Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy,” she said.

Have your say on our Your Say Maroondah 

The consultation closes Monday 5 August 2019.