|
Report from Rob Millard, CEO MWMG.
This month it’s great to be able to report on some initiatives aimed at boosting recycling and resource recovery in the general community. Since our new website launched last month, traffic to site has continued to grow. We hope the new layout of the site will make it easier for both our local government stakeholders and the community to find information on the site. The new search function allowing residents to find out where they can recycle and drop-off a range of household items is great online tool that was developed through the Transfer Station and Resource Network. We will continue to build on this function as new recycling initiatives, such as the recently announced
expanded polystyrene recycling collection come on stream.
The Australian Packaging Covenant (APC) funded kerbside recycling project is another exciting initiative that has seen a significant boost in activity. Following the appointment of the creative agency who will deliver the overarching metropolitan wide education campaign, participating councils can expect to begin planning supporting on-ground activities for their local communities. A project workshop for local government will be held on the 19 September and we will be providing a sneak preview of the program at the October Forum. Currently 21 metropolitan councils have signed up to participate but we would love to see all 30 involved.
Another item worth noting, is the initiative by Coles to trial an expanded soft plastics collection in their Melbourne stores. Shoppers can now recycle plastic food packaging in the bins used previously for plastic bag recycling. This is being delivered in partnership with the RED Group who have recently been active in promoting soft plastics recycling collections in schools. MWMG has also taken on the service as part of our Green Office program. The collection service is free but as part of our agreement with RED Group we have committed to buying back our collection as recycled products from the Replas range.
Finally, I couldn’t end this month’s message without mentioning the introduction of the proposed carbon tax legislation into the Federal Parliament. MWMG is working to quantify the impact of the tax for local government waste and resource recovery services, especially landfill. We have commissioned development of tools to assist local government manage this issue and I look forward to reporting on this work.
Find drop-off and recycling locations for household goods
MWMG’s new website now has an easy to use search function
which allows residents to find the nearest drop-off location for the recycling and disposal of a wide range of household items. The website provides details of all metropolitan council managed resource recovery centres and transfer stations. Users can search by both postcode (to find out what’s accepted at there nearest drop-off location) or by item. Each entry provides details on what happens to the item – whether it is recycled or sent to landfill and whether costs or quantity restrictions apply. MWMG is working closely with the Transfer Station Resource Recovery Centre Network
to ensure the listings are kept up to date. Please feel free to link directly to the page from your website. We have also created a short media release which you can use to promote the function to residents in your community. Contact jodie.mcqueen@mwmg.vic.gov.au (t: 8698 9828) for more information.
back to top ^
Metropolitan Local Government Waste and Resource Recovery Fund- Round 2 to be announced
The final application stage for the first grant round of the Metropolitan Local Government Waste and Resource Recovery Fund closed on 24 August 2011. A total of 14 stage two applications were received and these will now be assessed by the Fund Panel before being presented to the MWMG Board for their consideration.
We are pleased to advise that Round Two – will open in late October. Please stay tuned for further details on the timing and the application process. The timing of this round has been planned to allow local governments to consider proposals that align with their next financial year budgetary cycles. So get your thinking caps on!
In addition to the competitive grant rounds, MWMG will also be continuing to work with local government to identify strategic priority areas and metropolitan wide projects that can be funded via the Fund. These projects would be initiated and coordinated through MWMG and designed to support multiple councils. For more details on the Fund and the guidelines click here or contact clarissa.forster@mwmg.vic.gov.au (t: 8698 9802) for more information.
back to top ^
Community Sustainability Engagement Evaluation Toolbox
Whitehorse City Council along with partners Knox City Council, Bayside City Council and Gannawarra Shire Council have launched an exciting new web resource to assist project officers to better evaluate their sustainability engagement and behaviour change projects.
The ‘Community Sustainability Engagement Evaluation Toolbox’ was developed by Swinburne University’s National Centre for Sustainability and was funded through the Victorian Government's Sustainability Fund under the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord.
The free online toolbox brings together a number of best-practice evaluation methods packaged into a comprehensive, user-friendly, ‘how-to’ format. The toolbox is aimed at those working in local government and community organisations wanting to undertake project evaluation.
back to top ^
Coles launches plastic bag and flexible packaging trial
Following the success of Coles’ reusable bag drives in 2010, Coles has launched a new trial to provide Victorian customers with a convenient and responsible way to recycle a range of plastics food packaging.
Recycling bins will be placed in 114 stores across the metropolitan area. The plastic will be collected by RED Group and recycled in Victoria by Replas into bench seats for schools and kindergartens.
Materials accepted as part of the trial will include cling wrap, bread bags, pasta bags, cereal bags, lolly bags, frozen food bags, carry bags, fresh produce bags and reusable ‘green’ bags.
The trial has received support from the Australian Packaging Covenant and EPA Victoria and will focus on material that is not accepted through current kerbside recycling programs.
Coles would like to encourage councils to promote this recycling opportunity to the local community. For more information on promoting the trial please contact Richard Uglow at Coles Corporate Affairs (Richard.uglow@coles.com.au or phone 0408 574 453)
Coles is also inviting schools and kindergartens to apply to win a piece of garden furniture by emailing how they have worked to make their local environment ‘greener’ to EveryBagCounts@coles.com.au (entries close on 19 February 2012.)
back to top ^
Work at MWMG
MWMG will soon be advertising two new project officer positions to work as part of our Strategic Resource Efficiency and Municipal Programs teams. Keep an eye out on the MWMG website for more details.
back to top ^
|
