Garden organics bins roll out from July 2022

The garden organics bin collection service will expand across the Sunshine Coast from July 2022, giving residents an easy and convenient way to recycle their garden waste and help the environment.

This week, approximately 50,000 property owners across the Sunshine Coast will receive a notice in the mail or an email from council to inform them of the new service.

The other 40,000 property owners are already using the garden organics bin service.

Lawn clippings, weeds, leaves and other organic garden materials placed in the new lime green-lidded bin will be collected by council, diverted away from landfill and mulched ready to be reused.

Mulching garden waste, instead of dumping it, will extend our landfill life and reduce greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere.

It could also potentially save property owners paying the full cost of the Queensland Government Waste Levy.

Sunshine Coast Council Environment and Liveability Portfolio Councillor Maria Suarez said council’s aspiration was for the Sunshine Coast to send zero waste to landfill by 2041 for a cleaner, greener environment and sustainable future.

“To do this, we are delivering our plan to divert more of our community’s waste away from landfill to be reused and recycled,” Cr Suarez said.

“This is known as a circular economy, where products and materials keep being reused in the market for as long as possible.

“One way we will do this is to introduce an expanded garden organics bin service to Sunshine Coast residential households from July 10, 2022.

“Audits have shown that almost 55 per cent of material in general waste bins is organic material that could be repurposed.

“And community feedback received in February 2021 from 7500 residents regarding the future management of Sunshine Coast waste revealed overwhelming support for expanding the garden organics service to contribute to a better and more sustainable future.

“In fact, 84 percent of respondents agreed it is very important that council provides a service to reduce organic waste in landfill and convert recovered organic material to useful by-products.”

The 240L garden organics bin service is expected to be approximately $35 per year (subject to change), collected fortnightly and will be delivered to residential properties later this financial year, ready for the service to begin from July 10.

Sunshine Coast Council Service Portfolio Councillor Christian Dickson said the expanded garden organics bin service delivered on a key output of the Sunshine Coast Waste Strategy 2015-2025 and was just one of the ways council was moving towards a circular economy approach to waste management.

“Introducing a garden organics bin service is the important first step in our journey towards implementing a Food Organics and Garden Organics bin service – also known as FOGO – to divert even more waste from landfill,” Cr Dickson said.

“In the Our Future Waste survey earlier this year, the feedback also revealed 83 per cent of survey respondents supported council implementing a FOGO bin service, and investigations are underway to determine the type of organic processing facility that will best suit the region’s needs.

“The new bins will be delivered to properties soon ready for collection services to begin from July 2022 and will be emptied fortnightly, on alternate weeks to your recycling bin.

“During phase one of the rollout, only single unit residences will receive the bin – apartments, townhouses and duplexes will receive a bin during in phase two later in 2022.

“We encourage everyone to get behind the garden organics bin program and recycle garden organics as we continue the journey to achieving our vision: Australia’s most sustainable region, healthy, smart, creative.”

Eligible properties can apply for an exemption from the organics bin service if they meet certain criteria. For information on the exemption criteria and answers to other frequently asked questions please visit www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/gardenbin

Further information on the results of the Our Future Waste consultation is available on council’s Have your Say page at https://haveyoursay.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/our-future-waste

Sustainable living tips are available at livingsmartqld.com.au.

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KEY POINTS

• An expanded garden organics service will start for Sunshine Coast residential households from July 2022.
• Garden clippings, weeds and leaves can go into the lime-green lidded garden organics bin.
• The garden organics bin will be collected fortnightly, on alternate weeks to recycling bin collection.
• Garden organics will continue to be accepted at resource recovery centres.
• As a result of economies of scale, the garden bin collection service will cost less.
• Some property owners may apply for an exemption. Details are available on council’s website.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AT A GLANCE

There are multiple benefits to having a garden organics service:

• It is an easy and convenient way to dispose of your lawn clippings, weeds and other garden organics.
• The expanded service will reduce the amount of organic material that goes into your general waste bins.
• If you currently take garden organics to council’s resource recovery facilities, you may no longer need to make those trips, saving you money and time.