Metropolitan Melbourne Organics Plan Announced

The Victorian Government has announced a $3.8 million package to support and develop organics recycling across Melbourne.
The Metropolitan Organics Plan and funding package announced by the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Ryan Smith, will help build a network of new organics recycling facilities for metropolitan Melbourne and help develop viable markets for the end-product, composts and fertilisers.

The first step in the process will be the development of a new facility to be built by Veolia Environmental Services at Bulla, north of Melbourne. The new facility will take tonnes of food and garden waste from 11 councils in Melbourne’s north and process it into valuable compost. This will be supported by additional facilities in the south east and east of Melbourne.

Contracts between Veolia Environmental Services, the 11 participating councils and MWMG are now in the process of being executed. Construction of the Bulla facility is expected to commence once this has occurred, with facility commissioning commencing in early 2013.

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Metropolitan Planning Strategy

A new metropolitan planning strategy is being prepared to ensure the valued aspects of Melbourne are protected while allowing for future needs.

The development of the planning strategy is a priority for the Victorian Government and DPCD. The strategy will provide a long-term vision for Victoria and help manage growth and change. It will focus on land use and transport planning that responds to and integrates social, economic and environmental issues facing the metropolitan region.

A number of the discussion papers cover waste issues. Council waste officers should ensure their planning team are aware of these waste issues and include them in their council’s responses.

To find out more, visit the official project website, which features fact sheets and online forums around ten key themes including: people, housing, transport, environment, economy, communities, freight, infrastructure, regional areas and peri-urban areas.

International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW)

MWMG is a proud supporter of International Compost Awareness Week Australia (ICAW). Running from 7-12 May 2012, ICAW features activities, events and publicity to raise awareness and promote compost use, knowledge and products.

For more information on ICAW please visit compostweek.com.au or visit the ICAW Facebook page.

And to coincide with ICAW, we have developed a Council Composting Info Sheet, which features a breakdown of composting and worm farming programs across Melbourne’s council areas for use by council educators, community members and other interested groups.

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Demonstrational Compost Trials

MWMG is supporting Compost Victoria conduct demonstrational compost trials in horticulture. The trials will be undertaken on the strawberry, blueberry, blackberry and raspberry crops in the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley.

These trials are an integral part of implementing a market development program for recycled organic products. The aim is to demonstrate the benefits of using compost and mulch products to the horticulture industry as well as relationship building within target markets. Compost Victoria will be working on this project with growers and their associations, including Strawberry Victoria and Australian Rubus Growers Association, as well as with their Industry Development Officers.

Soil analysis will be conducted prior to the trial and at the end of the cropping season. Reports and case studies will be produced focusing on the benefits of using composts in conventional horticulture.

For more information on the trial, please contact Slobodan Vujovic, Market & Industry Development Office via slobodan@wmaa.asn.au.

Waste Wise Melbourne Network: Call for sponsors

Sponsorship is being sought for the Waste Wise Melbourne Network (WWMN) for 12 months commencing July 2012. To find out more about the network and sponsorship packages click here.

For any queries regarding sponsorship or network membership, please contact Ellen Regos on ellen.regos@mwmg.vic.gov.au or 8698 9805.

Combined Education Network Day

The latest Combined Education Network Day (incorporating CLEAN Litter Network, Education Network and Schools Engagement Network) was held on 19 April at Moreland Civic Centre, Coburg.

The Schools Engagement Network (SEN) session covered annual school waste and recycling data reports. Participants viewed tables, graphs and sample waste and recyclables collection bills via the online Schools Environment Tracking System (SETS). Causes and solutions for data errors and ways to increase waste and recyclables data accuracy were explored.

The Councils Litter Environment Action Network (CLEAN) and Education Network sessions focussed on the development of collaborative activities, including full range projects, to resource sharing and general program brain storming. Outcomes included a proposed Carbon Tax and Waste Education workshop, tentatively scheduled for June and a proposed Waste Avoidance Challenge workshop to be delivered by network members.

Network members also viewed presentations on the City of Ryde’s (NSW) litter prevention activities and Moreland City Council’s waste communication strategy, associated with their new kerbside contract.

The next Combined Education Network Day is being hosted by the City of Monash on Thursday 21June 2012.