Dates for the diary

• 20 August – Councils Litter Environment Action Network (CLEAN) meeting
• 17-23 August – Keep Australia Beautiful Week 

Metro News

Shortlisted companies announced in the search for alternatives to landfill

Following a competitive tendering process, councils in Melbourne’s south east have shortlisted three tenderers, including world leading providers of resource recovery infrastructure, as part of the advanced waste processing procurement.   

We’re pleased to be working with Veolia Environmental Services Australia, Sacyr Environment Australia and Pacific Partnerships and REMONDIS on the next stage of the procurement. 

MWRRG is leading the tender process in partnership with 16 councils in Melbourne’s south east where landfills are filling up and no more are planned to be built.  

This project will deliver an alternative to landfill and transform how household rubbish is managed by putting it to good use instead of burying it in the ground. Best outcomes will be achieved by minimising our waste, reusing or recycling, and then what is left over can go to advanced waste processing. 

Forum advisory group elects Chair and new members 

Congratulations to Senior Waste Minimisation Advisor, City of Yarra, Lisa Coffa on her re-election as the Chair of the Metropolitan Local Government Waste Forum’s Technical Advisory Reference Group (TARG) for 2020-21. In addition, eight newly elected members will bring their expertise to TARG to provide valuable technical advice on emerging resource recovery issues and addressing the challenges faced by local government. 

New recycling contamination management plan template for councils

We've finalised a recycling contamination management plan template with councils that they can adapt for their local service. Developed in consultation with members of our recycling user groups, the template will help all councils save time and adopt a consistent approach. We’ll be sharing the template with all metropolitan councils via the recycling user groups.

Council spotlight

Pioneering declaration underpins Darebin’s new waste strategy  

Initiatives to address food waste provide an important opportunity to reduce the City of Darebin’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to their new waste strategy. The strategy approaches waste management through the lens of a climate emergency, setting long term goals such as cutting emissions from waste, introducing innovative approaches to recycling and advocating for a more circular economy.  

Be informed

• Sustainability Victoria has launched a new online directory, Buy Recycled, which features Victorian products containing recycled content. The tool is designed to provide government buyers with easy access to suppliers and recycled material options when considering products for purchasing and infrastructure projects. To consider products for upcoming purchasing and infrastructure projects, access the directory.

• The Australian Government has announced a $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) to support innovative investment in new infrastructure to sort, process and remanufacture materials such as mixed plastic, paper, tyres and glass. Read more about the announcement.

Weird and wonderful waste news

Earthworms converting cotton waste into quality compost

A southern New South Wales composter is feeding hungry worms cotton waste and kerbside organics to create a high value fertiliser.

If you have a weird or wonderful waste news story to share, please email web.editor@mwrrg.vic.gov.au. 

Resource of the month

New food waste recycling videos for councils

We’ve worked with councils to develop two new videos to promote food waste recycling. The first video promotes the different types of waste that can be recycled in household green bins. The second shows what residents can use to line their kitchen caddies with before collecting food waste. The videos will be used to encourage residents to ‘put their food waste to good use’.  

The videos are optimised in three sizes for YouTube, Instagram and Facebook/Instagram stories. There are also 15 still images from the videos for councils to use in print collateral and on social, web and digital publications. 

If you have any questions about the videos or would like to use them, contact Senior Communications Adviser Joshua Rule at Joshua.rule@mwrrg.vic.gov.au 

The Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Implementation Plan sets out four strategic objectives which underpin all of MWRRG’s activities:

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