Recycling and best practice initiatives which benefit the environment continue to be a focus for Bundaberg Regional Council’s waste services in its 2021-22 budget.
In the next year, $230,000 will be allocated to the Material Recovery Facility, operated by IMPACT Community Services, for the upgrade of two balers.
Council Waste and Recycling portfolio spokesperson Cr Tanya McLoughlin said the specialised machinery was a major component in the recycling process.
“The current balers, which are about 15 years old, are nearing the end of their life and will be replaced with new models,” she said.
“These pieces of machinery are responsible for compressing all bottles, tins and plastics – basically everything except for paper, cardboard and glass – that come from our yellow-lidded recycling bins.
“With 7,033,000 kg of material recycled through the Material Recovery Facility last year, it sure makes the process a lot easier!”
Cr McLoughlin said there had been a steady rise in recycling efforts by residents over the past year.
“More than seven million kilograms of recyclable materials have been saved from landfill through the efforts of locals using their wheelie bins correctly,” she said.
“This is a fantastic result and goes to show that our community is committed to reducing the amount of waste going to landfill, which in turn helps to protect our environment.”
Cr McLoughlin said another way in which Council was implementing best practice initiatives to benefit the environment was the utilisation of gas flaring at the Cedars Road and University Drive Landfills.
“Methane gas is a natural but harmful by-product of the waste decomposition process,” she said.
“Through our gas flaring facilities, we are able to transform this into carbon dioxide instead, which is less harmful to the environment.”
She said in the next financial year Council would continue its investment in gas flaring, particularly at Cedars Road.
“Furthermore, Council is investigating other ways to utilise this gas, like converting it to green energy.”
Cr McLoughlin said Council waste facilities would also continue to provide free disposal points for recyclable items into the new financial year.
These include the Paintback Scheme, chemical waste disposal and mobile phone drop off points.
View the budget documents on the Council website.
