After the first 8 months of operation, over 1800 tonnes of organic waste has been diverted through the new FOGO collection service in Kingborough.
Kingborough Mayor, Paula Wriedt said the FOGO service was introduced into Kingborough in October 2021.
“With approximately 60 per cent of the average household bin made up of food and garden waste, FOGO has been an important tool in reducing waste to landfill,” Cr Wriedt said.
“Since October an extra 900 households have joined our fortnightly FOGO service, which converted from green waste to food organics and garden organics.
“This means an extra 400 tonnes of organic waste was diverted from landfill from October 2021.
“Diverting organic waste from landfill not only reduces the amount of waste we have to bury, it reduces our community’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“This equates to saving 1,638 CO2-e tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere.
“As well as diverting FOGO from landfill, as a community we are reducing the amount of recyclable material we send to landfill.
“Through our dedicated Recycling Unit permanently located inside the Council Civic Centre, our Barretta and Bruny Island Waste & Recycling Centres and our collection services we have diverted over 7000 tonnes of material from being landfilled.
“Our permanent recycling unit at the Civic Centre collects items like batteries, light bulbs, x-rays, coffee pods, small e-waste, toner cartridges and batteries,” Cr Wriedt said.
“Last financial year we diverted over 14 tonnes of paint, 34 tonnes of television and computer e-waste, 27 tonnes of oil and nearly 760 tonnes of metal which is fantastic news for our environment.
“This month is Plastic Free July, and throughout the month Council is encouraging our Kingborough food businesses to get in with Plastic Free Places Program.
“Plastic Free Places are helping local businesses to transition away from single use plastics.
Plastic Free Places can be contacted by at troy.furner@boomeralliance.org
Barretta Waste and Recycling centre we have a dedicated area for recycling and items that you can bring are:
- fluorescent tubes & light globes,
- Oil
- Batteries
- Glass bottles and jars
- Cardboard
- Paper
- Co-mingled (plastic bottles and milk cartons)
- E-waste
- Marine flares
Bruny Island Recycling Centre has a facility for:
- Cardboard
- Glass
- Co-mingled paper and plastic
- Car batteries
- Cooking Oil
- Aluminium cans
- Engine oil (in 20 L drums)
Want to know what else you can divert from sending to landfill – head to https://www.kingborough.tas.gov.au/services/waste-recycling/recycling/