The right waste in the right bins for your household
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Redland City Council is handing out worm farms to 100 of the residents who signed up for a green waste bin this May.
Mayor Karen Williams said the worm farm competition, along with no bin establishment fee, had proven a great incentive for residents to order a green waste bin so their garden waste could be collected separately through Council’s fortnightly kerbside collection.
IndigiScapes staff have been handing out worm farms to winners of Council’s green waste bin competition.
“We were aiming for 500 green waste bin orders in May, and ended up with 524, which we estimate will result in the recovery of an extra 171 tonnes of green waste each year,” Cr Williams said.
“Green waste bins are an important part of Council’s kerbside collection service as they provide residents with an easy way to separate garden waste – such as garden prunings, grass clipping, weeds and small branches – from general waste and recyclables.
Worm farms are good for food scraps that can’t be put in your household green waste bin.
“Currently, about a third of the material put into kerbside general waste bins could be diverted to household green waste bins, the contents of which are composted and turned into soil and landscaping products.
“But when this material stays in general waste bins, it ends up in landfill, which is costly and bad for the environment.
“Nor does green waste belong in your yellow-lid bin, where it will end up contaminating your recycling.”
Cr Williams said the three bin-system catered to all different household sizes and needs, with residents being able to upsize their recycling bin, and order multiple recycling and green waste bins.
“Keen gardeners can order multiple green waste bins and larger families may opt for a second recycling bin,” she said.
“The system is flexible for the convenience of households and to maximise resource recovery.”
Council’s three-bin system
General household waste bins are collected kerbside on a weekly basis, have a red lid (or a dark green one for older bins) and are for non-recyclable items. While we’d prefer to see garden waste composted, put in a green waste bin or taken to a recycling and waste centre, it is still permitted in your general waste bin.
Every household has a yellow-lid recycling bin with household collection being fortnightly. Just five material types can be recycled kerbside – paper, cardboard, glass jars and bottles, aluminium and steel cans and firm plastic containers and bottles. Contaminants to keep out of your yellow-lid bin include soft plastics, bubble wrap, food scraps, polystyrene and textiles. Most importantly, don’t place recycling into a kitchen tidy bag or garbage bag.
Green waste bins are available to mainland residents and are optional so you need to order yours’ from Council, after which an annual fee for collection will appear on your rates. They have a lime green lid and are collected kerbside on the alternative fortnight to your recycling bin. They are for garden organics only, so kitchen scraps need to go either in your general waste bin or preferably your compost or worm farm at home.
Winners of the worm farms have been notified via email or will receive a letter in the mail and they can pick up their worm farms from IndigiScapes native nursery before 31 July.
If you’re unsure about what household bin an item belongs in, check Council’s online A-Z of waste recycling or you can pick up a copy of the A-Z of waste and recycling at Council’s mainland customer service centres.