Councils commit to buying back their rubbish

Published on 19 September 2019

Nine South Australian councils have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to prioritise buying products made from recycled materials.

In an Australian first, the MOU is the beginning of a circular procurement pilot project, led by the LGA with the assistance of a $96,500 Green Industries SA grant. The goal is to increase local demand for recycled materials, support the development of a circular economy in SA, and ultimately reduce waste and recycling costs for councils.

The participating councils include City of Burnside, Adelaide Hills Council, City of Charles Sturt, Mount Barker District Council, Rural City of Murray Bridge, City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, City of Onkaparinga, City of Port Adelaide Enfield, and City of Prospect.

Acting CEO Barry Cant said the value of this project will be realised in financial, educational and environmental benefits.

“The more we contribute and commit to the circular economy, the more cost effective and environmentally friendly our processes will become. I am proud to be involved and partner with the other councils on this initiative; demonstrating strong action by our sector to address waste management challenges.”

Through the MOU, these councils have committed to prioritising the purchase of recycled-content products through the procurement process, and tracking and reporting on recycled-content purchasing by weight.

Examples of products made of recycled materials that can be purchased by councils include road and construction materials, street furniture, bollards, office stationery and compost.

The MOU was signed on-site at Advanced Plastic Recycling (APR) – a leading manufacturer and designer of recycled wood plastic composite products made from 100 percent post-consumer waste. Products produced by APR include bollards, boardwalks, fencing, and street furniture.