Redland City Council will begin rolling out a new city-wide education campaign this month to help drive sustainable waste management in the community.
Acting Mayor Julie Talty said the initiative, supported through the Queensland Government’s Let’s Get it Sorted Partnership Program, would focus on reducing waste to landfill and improving the quality and quantity of recycling.
The initiative will involve the distribution of education material followed by contracted recycling educators visually observing the contents of some kerbside recycling bins and providing the community with helpful tips and feedback.
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All residents will receive the educational material this year and approximately half the city will have their bins checked.
“This is all about mitigating the rising costs of waste management and creating a greener future for our city by reducing the amount of waste currently being sent to landfill and improving the quality of recycling,” Cr Talty said.
“We need every resident and every household to be disposing of the right waste in the right bins if we’re to reach the state-wide target of becoming a zero-waste society by 2050 and to avoid sending valuable resources to landfill.
“Increased knowledge about recycling and some small changes to our household waste habits will go a long way towards meeting our collective waste reduction goals now and into the future.
“Council data shows that about 16 per cent of what is being sent to landfill on Redlands Coast could be recycled and 15 per cent of what is being placed in yellow lid recycling bins should go in the general waste bin.
“Collectively, this represents almost 8000 tonnes of waste and recyclables placed in incorrect bins each year.
“These figures paint a picture of where we need to make improvements as a community.”
Over coming months, contracted recycling educators will audit recycling bins across multiple suburbs to assess levels of contamination and provide targeted feedback to residents through bin tagging.
These educators will observe the contents of recycling bins to provide helpful tips on improving recycling but will not touch or move any items.
No fines will be issued for incorrect disposal of waste. However, if a bin is found to contain hazardous materials which pose a risk to drivers and the community, it will not be collected until these items are removed.
Cr Talty encouraged all residents to reflect on their waste habits as part of the campaign.
“If you don’t already, one of the simplest steps you can take to improve your waste processes overnight is setting up a separate container for recyclables in your kitchen,” Cr Talty said.
“Council also offers a flexible bin menu which allows residents to choose a wheelie bin size option that suits their individual household requirements, helping them dispose of waste more sustainably.
“This includes paying a one-off establishment fee and no additional ongoing costs to upgrade the size of your recycling bin from 240 litres to 340 litres if you need more space.
“Another proactive step is familiarising yourself with Council’s online A–Z recycling guide or downloading the Recycle Mate app to ensure you are recycling the right materials.
“By working hard to separate out household waste, you can help improve the recycling process, lower costs and contribute to a more sustainable future for our city.”
The Let’s Get it Sorted Partnership Program is supported by the Queensland Government’s Recycling and Jobs Fund.
Redland City Council was one of 26 Queensland councils and two Regional Organisations of Councils to benefit from the first tranche of the program in 2024, receiving $486,855.
For more information about the Let’s Get it Sorted Partnership Program, visit the Department’s website.
Further details about Council’s recycling education program on Redlands Coast is available at this link: Recycling on Redlands Coast | Redland City Council.
Redland City Council provides a suite of services to 166,873 residents and more than 63,000 residential households across Redlands Coast. Our naturally wonderful city on Quandamooka Country is home to more than 335 kilometres of coastline, six island communities and 12 mainland suburbs.
