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Why care about waste? A little bit of thought about waste and how you dispose of it can make a big difference. Reducing waste can: ■ save you money,
■ keep people safe, and
■ create jobs,
■ improve the environment.
RECYCLING
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OTHER STUFF
FOOD AND GARDEN WASTE
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RECYCLING You can get 10c for every container returned through Containers for Change, see page 27. Recycling creates more jobs than disposal of waste to landfill. Recycled materials use less water, energy and materials, see page 24 for information on recycling services.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Don't put these in the bin because they can cause fires or hurt workers. Council and other providers can dispose of hazardous materials in a safe way, see page 23.
OTHER STUFF This is different for everyone but the less you dispose of, the less waste you are paying for.
FOOD AND GARDEN WASTE The average family could save more than $2,000 a year by reducing food waste. Food and garden waste can be made into compost and soil conditioner, see page 15.
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How to reduce waste Ask why before you buy
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Choose to reuse
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Tips for the kitchen
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Tips for the garden
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Tips for the bathroom and laundry
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Ask why before you buy Most of us have more things than we need. When you are planning to buy something, the following questions can save you money and reduce waste. ■ Why do I want to buy this? ■ Can I use something I already have? ■ Can I borrow it or swap it? ■ Can I rent it? ■ Can I repair what I already have? ■ Can I get it second hand?
Where and how you shop matters too! BORROW OR SWAP Sharing or borrowing items like books, magazines, clothes or homewares from friends saves money, as does borrowing tools from neighbours. RENT Tools, clothes and event supplies are just a few of the items you can now rent for far less than buying new. REPAIR, REUSE OR UPCYCLE Consider if you can repair or reuse things yourself. There’s lots of practical and creative information available online. BUY SECOND HAND Online forums such as Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree make it easy to search for pre-loved items in your local area, and is a great way to sell and swap your good quality possessions. Thrift shops are also fun to browse and great for a bargain. 10
Reduce waste by donating Charitable organisations and social enterprises accept a wide range of preloved items. Please consider the quality of your donations; broken, unsafe or damaged goods can’t be resold. Givit is an innovative platform that helps match items with people who need them, including good quality secondhand items, visit givit.org.au for more information.
BUY LOCAL Often local businesses use less packaging as they don’t need to protect their products from the rigours of long-distance transport. BUY IN BULK Bulk products save on packaging and some stores allow you to bring your own containers. 11
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Choose to reuse Single use items are used once and thrown away. This wastes energy, materials and water, and many items end up as hard-to-manage litter. In September 2021, the Queensland Government banned the use of many single use plastics like straws, take away food containers and plastic cutlery. You can choose reusable items in many situations and enjoy benefits like saving money, making healthy choices and expressing your own style! Bring your own: WATER BOTTLE Tap water is safe to drink and easy to access. Bottled water often costs more than 200 times the price. If you don’t like the taste of tap water, it’s cheaper to buy a filter than bottled water. LUNCH BOX Bringing your lunch saves money and removes packaging waste. Choose fresh foods instead of processed, or bulk instead of individually packaged. REUSABLE BAGS Keep bags in your car or handbag to reduce the amount of plastic in circulation. If you forget bags when grocery shopping, choose paper over plastic for easier recycling. COFFEE CUP Take away coffee cups are used for minutes and are difficult to process. Your own cup can be used thousands of times.
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Tips for the kitchen Did you know that 40% of landfill waste is food? This equates to one in every five bags of your groceries going straight into the bin, costing you $2,000 to $2,500 every year1. Ways to reduce food waste: PLAN YOUR SHOP AND BE REALISTIC Check the fridge and cupboard and write a list before you go. USE AN ‘EAT FIRST’ BOX Put a brightly coloured box at the front of the fridge for food that needs using first. Shift older foods into the box as you unpack new groceries. STEW OR BAKE Make delicious dishes with older fruit and vegetables to save wasting them. FREEZE Freezing excess food presses pause on its shelf life and gives you time to use it. Brown bananas are great in smoothies, cakes and frozen desserts. SHARE If you have excess from your garden - preserve, freeze, dry or share it with friends. KEEP THE SCRAPS Get value for money from unavoidable food scraps like peelings by composting or worm farming to convert them into valuable soil conditioners. The Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre (FIAL), 2021. The National Food Waste Strategy Feasibility Study–Final Report.
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Tips for the garden GROW YOUR OWN FOOD Give growing your own a go. It’s cheap and fun and reduces waste and other environmental impacts. There are plenty of easy plants to start with, like strawberries or cucumbers. COMPOST AND WORM FARMS Composting at home turns kitchen scraps into excellent fertiliser for your garden while reducing waste.
Compost Bin and Worm Farm Rebate Program Council offers Scenic Rim residents a $30 rebate towards the purchase of selected compost bins and worm farms from participating Mitre 10 retailers in Beaudesert, Boonah, Tamborine Mountain and Kalbar. You can apply for the rebate on our website at scenicrim.qld.gov.au/ waste-services or call Council on 5540 5111.
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Tips for the bathroom and laundry CONSIDER YOUR NAPPY CHOICE 3.75 million nappies go to landfill each day in Australia and New Zealand2. Changing to modern cloth nappies is a great way to reduce your waste. While the upfront cost is higher, they are cheaper than disposable nappies over time and look great!
DIY cleaning products If you have bicarbonate of soda and vinegar you can clean most things, this saves packaging and is environmental friendly.
USE SOLID PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS Using solid soaps, hair and body care products like shampoo, conditioner, moisturisers and deodorant reduces plastic and overall packaging waste. While more expensive, they are concentrated and last longer, and are now available at major supermarkets. USE REFILLS Buying in bulk and using refills for cleaning products reduces plastic and overall packaging waste. PERIOD UNDERWEAR AND MENSTRUAL CUPS Reusable menstrual products, such as period underwear and menstrual cups, are a good replacement for single use products. Period underwear is like normal underwear but is designed to absorb menstrual flow. All reusable menstrual products reduce waste and are cheaper over time. The Sustainability Victoria, Eco-friendlier alternatives to disposable nappies, sourced online 13 October 21 sustainability.vic.gov.au/nappies 2
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Council Waste Services
The rest of this guide provides an overview of Council’s waste management services and other services that will help you to recycle, recover or safely dispose of unavoidable waste materials.
Kerbside collection bins
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How to use your recycling bin
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More recycling options
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Residential Waste Collection Service requests
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Community Waste Collection Services
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Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities
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Specialised recovery and disposal programs
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Restricted materials
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Resources
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Kerbside collection bins Residents in our waste collections service area are provided with:
GENERAL WASTE BIN (GREEN OR RED LID)
Collected weekly
RECYCLE BIN (YELLOW LID)
Collected fortnightly
DO THE RIGHT THING, USE THE RIGHT BIN Knowing how to use your kerbside collection bins means that your rubbish is disposed of safely, easily and with limited impact on the environment. The general waste bin is for household waste that can’t be reduced, recycled or recovered other ways. About 20% of waste in Scenic Rim general waste bins could go in the co-mingled recycling bin, see page 24.
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Here are a few dos and don’ts. DO PLACE YOUR BINS On the kerbside or within 1.5m of the road edge With handles facing your property and the opening facing the street Clear of parked vehicles, trees and other obstructions Clear of pedestrian pathways and driveways At least 50cm apart TO BAG OR NOT TO BAG? When using your general waste bin, lightweight wastes should be bagged to stop them blowing around. Don’t put your recycling in plastic bags, they can’t be recycled and can jam the truck. DON’T OVERFILL YOUR BINS Bin lids must closed because open bin lids create litter and allow animals to access your waste. Bins must not exceed 70 kilograms. Overfull or overweight bins will not be emptied because they cannot be safely lifted and can damage the collection truck. 21
Don’t bin it Do not put these items in either of your kerbside collection bins. Bins may not be collected if they contain these materials. ITEM
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
Items longer than 50cm
Break them up or take to Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities
Green waste, including garden trimmings and tree stumps
Take to Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities
Construction and demolition waste
Take to Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities
Scrap metal
Take to Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities
Hazardous materials - batteries, chemicals, explosives etc.
Take to Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities or specialist service. See page 30.
If you are still unsure whether something can be disposed of in your kerbside collection, call Council on 5540 5111.
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HAZARDOUS MATERIALS DO NOT put hazardous materials in kerbside bins because they can injure people, cause fires or explosions. Council’s Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities can accept hazardous materials including: ■ Paint ■ E-waste ■ Lead acid batteries ■ Empty gas bottles ■ Waste oil ■ Empty agricultural drums marked
for DrumMuster
■ Asbestos ■ Green waste and other materials
(these may contain fire ants) ■ Scrap metal ■ Tyres ■ Chemicals
More information about which of Council’s facilities accept hazardous materials is on page 32-33.
Household batteries are the most common cause of landfill and waste truck fires. Aldi, Batteryworld and other retailers recycle household batteries free of charge. Expired flares can be dropped at a range of Maritime Safety Queensland flare disposal locations msq.qld.gov.au/ Safety/Distress-signals/ Flare-disposal-locations Ammunition and other explosives can be surrendered without fear of prosecution or fines through a range of avenues. Contact the Explosives Inspectorate on 1300 739 868.
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How to use your recycling bin Most packaging from household items can go in the recycling bin (except scrunchy soft plastics). Cardboard or paper
Glass bottles or jars
Hard plastic
Steel or aluminium cans
That’s it!
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WASH AND SQUASH, LIDS OFF AND LOOSE Containers should be rinsed clean before going in the recycling bin to avoid contaminating the load. Squash containers and break down cardboard packaging to fit more materials in your bin and make sure the lid can close. Take lids off bottles, they can fall through processing belts so are best removed. Don’t put your recycling in plastic bags, they can’t be recycled and can jam the truck. CHECK IT BEFORE YOU CHUCK IT (RECYCLE IT)
The Australasian Recycling Label
The Australasian Recycling Label on many products tells you exactly how to tells you which part of the package correctly dispose of packaging, and what can go in kerbside recycling.
belongs in the recycling bin, the
Putting incorrect items in the recycling can contaminate the load so it can’t rubbish bin, or bin if you have to do be recycled or cause jams in the truck, sorting and processing facilities.
something else with it. Recyclable
Coloured Recycling Symbol
Separate each item and place it in your recycling bin
Conditionally Recyclable Clear Recycling Symbol
Can be recycled ONLY if you follow the instructions
Not Recyclable Rubbish Bin Symbol
Place it in your rubbish bin, this is NOT recyclable
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WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR RECYCLING? When your recycling bin is collected, the recyclables are transported to a Materials Recovery Facility, where they are sorted into the different material types using machines and manual sorting. Each material type is then baled and sent to a reprocessing plant to be recycled into new products. These new products are sent to supermarkets or elsewhere for purchase. WHAT DOES YOUR RECYCLING BECOME?
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MATERIAL
RECYCLED PRODUCTS
Paper/Cardboard
New cardboard/paper, newspaper, toilet paper, paper bags
Glass
New bottles & containers, road base
Steel
New cans, washing machines, car parts, fridges
Aluminium
New cans, aircraft skins, aluminium sheeting, house frames
Plastic
New bottles and containers, wheelie bins, clothing, compost bins
More recycling options There are many alternatives to landfill, so before throwing something away in general waste, consider these options. CONTAINERS FOR CHANGE A container rebate scheme helps reduce litter from beverage containers and is a great opportunity for some extra pocket money. A range of beverage containers can be collected and returned for a 10c refund per container. Visit containersforchange.com.au for information on eligible containers and your closest collection point. REDCYCLE Single use soft plastics (ones that you can scrunch) CAN’T be recycled through co-mingled recycling bins but they CAN be recycled through Redcycle at major supermarkets. Drop off a bag full of bags on your way to the grocery shop. These soft plastics are manufactured into other products in Australia, such as outdoor furniture. Visit redcycle.net.au for more information. HARD TO RECYCLE PRODUCTS Terracycle offers a range of paid and free recycling programs for specific hard-to-recycle products found in households and workplaces. Visit TerraCycle.com.au for more information. SPECIFIC PRODUCT RECYCLING AND TAKE BACK SCHEMES There are a growing number of take-back schemes and stewardship programs, to search recycling options by product visit recyclingnearyou.com.au 27
Residential Waste Collection Service Requests To log a service request visit our website scenicrim.qld.gov.au/waste-services or phone 07 5540 5111. DAMAGED, LOST, MISSED, STRAY BINS Got a broken handle or a split bin? Was your bin still full after collection day? Do you have too many bins or maybe no bin at all? We will work to resolve these issues as soon as we can. NEW COLLECTION SERVICE If you wish to establish a new collection service please contact Council. Consider that inspections or approvals should be in place for new dwellings. In some cases it is not safe or efficient to provide a kerbside collection service but Council will work through options with you. SERVICE CHANGES If you find the dual service does not provide enough space to meet your needs, please contact Council to discuss service options. Fees and charges can be found on our website. INFIRM SERVICE If you are unable to place or collect bins from the kerbside due to medical reasons please contact Council to organise support. You will be required to provide a medical certificate.
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Community Waste Collection Services Please contact Council on 07 5540 5111 if you would like to discuss in-kind provision of event bins, to report an issue with a deceased animal, or to report an issue with a public place bin. TEMPORARY EVENT BINS Applications for general waste and co-mingled recycling bins for events must be submitted to Council at least two weeks before the event date. Current fees and charges are available on our website. Council can also provide event bins free of charge for eligible not-for-profit groups and organisations as in-kind support. DECEASED ANIMALS Council organises removal of deceased animals from parks, roads and footpaths if they are a traffic hazard or causing offence or nuisance. PUBLIC PLACE BINS General waste and recycling bins are provided in high traffic areas. These recycling bins accept the same materials as your recycling bin at home.
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Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities Scenic Rim Regional Council operates seven Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities. Customers can dispose of one cubic metre of general waste and three cubic metres of green waste per visit free of charge. Our facilities accept a range of materials for recycling and recovery along with bulky and hazardous items that can’t be safely disposed of through general waste bins. Visit our website scenicrim.qld.gov.au/waste-services or phone 07 5540 5111 for current fees and charges for other services or commercial rates.
PEAK CROSSING
CENTRAL ( ) (BROMELTON)
KALBAR
BEAUDESERT
BOONAH
CANUNGRA
RATHDOWNEY
Waste and Resource Recovery Facility Waste and Resource Recovery Facility and Landfill 30
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
CENTRAL (BROMELTON)
PEAK CROSSING
43 Waste Facility Road, Bromelton OPEN 9am - 5pm Seven days a week
62 Faulkners Quarry Road, Harrisville OPEN 9am - 12pm Wednesday, 1pm - 5pm Saturday and Sunday
CANUNGRA
CLOSED Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
2036 Beaudesert-Nerang Road OPEN 9am - 5pm Six days a week CLOSED Thursday TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN 137 Knoll Road OPEN 9am - 5pm Six days a week
KALBAR 14 Muller Road, Fassifern OPEN 1pm - 5pm Wednesday, 9am - 12pm Saturday and Sunday CLOSED Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
CLOSED Wednesday BOONAH 24 Evans Road, Dugandan OPEN 9am - 5pm Six days a week CLOSED Wednesday RATHDOWNEY 10290 Mt Lindesay Highway OPEN 9am - 5pm Monday, Thursday and Saturday
Please note! Last entry time for ALL waste facilities is 10 minutes before closing. Vehicles weighing over 4.5 tonnes must go to the Central (Bromelton) facility and be weighed upon entry.
CLOSED Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
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TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
RATHDOWNEY
PEAK CROSSING
KALBAR
CENTRAL (Bromelton)
CANUNGRA
Non-chargeable services (for Scenic Rim residents)
BOONAH
WHAT WE ACCEPT
General Waste Co-mingled waste (paper/carboard, glass bottles and jars, hard plastic, cans) Green waste* Car batteries Scrap metal Engine Oil (less than 25l) E-Waste DrumMuster (chemical drums) PaintBack (paint) Gas Cylinders (up to 9kg) Clean Fill (must be booked in - call Council on 5540 5111) * Tree stumps and tree trunks larger than 40cm will be charged at the general waste fee and can only be delivered to the Central landfill at Bromelton.
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TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
RATHDOWNEY
PEAK CROSSING
KALBAR
CENTRAL (Bromelton)
CANUNGRA
BOONAH
Chargeable services Asbestos (must be booked in - call Council on 5540 5111) Dead Animals (must be booked in - call Council on 5540 5111) White Goods Tyres Clean Concrete
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Specialised recovery and disposal programs The following items can be disposed of at Council's Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities.
PAINT Paintback takes unwanted paint and packaging and responsibly disposes of it, diverting it from landfill and waterways. Containers are recycled and waste paint is treated in a number of ways, including energy recovery for solvent and liquid/solid separation for water-based paint. Paintback accepts up to 100 litres per visit, stowed in containers of 20 litres or less. Paintback cannot take industrial and specialist coatings and other tints and surface treatments. Visit paintback.com.au for more information.
E-WASTE E-waste covers discarded electronics and electrical components, that is, things that you can plug-in or that take batteries, for example, kitchen appliances, computers and toys. E-waste contains toxic chemicals that can pollute, such as lead, mercury and arsenic, and valuable resources that can be extracted, such as precious metals. Mobile Muster is a free mobile phone recycling service in Australia. Visit mobilemuster.com.au for more information.
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DRUMMUSTER ELIGIBLE CHEMICAL DRUMS Eligible containers are non-returnable metal and plastic containers marked with the DrumMuster eligible container logo. This logo may be applied to the container either as a sticker, printed as part of the label, or embossed into the container material. When you arrive, please advise the Waste Service Officer on site that you have DrumMuster drum to be disposed of so they can make sure they are handled and stored appropriately. All containers must be triple rinsed and have the lids removed before drop off. Failure to do this may result in your containers not being accepted. Commercial disposal charges apply to returns in excess of 250 kilograms. Drums should be wrapped in manageable sizes as they will need to be unloaded by hand and placed in the designated DrumMuster area. Visit drummuster.org.au for more information.
CHEMCLEAR AGVET CHEMICAL COLLECTION PROGRAM Council supports the ChemClear program for the collection of surplus agricultural and veterinary chemicals. Participation in the program requires registration through Chemclear. Visit chemclear.org.au/register-your-chemical for more information.
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Restricted Materials The following materials have specific requirements for acceptance at our facilities due to health, safety and environmental impacts. ASBESTOS Asbestos is a building material that was extensively used in Australia from the 1940s until the 1980s, most commonly in cement sheeting, pipes, roofing and guttering. Asbestos becomes a health hazard when fibres of breathable size become airborne and are then inhaled, causing asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Council has strict policies and procedures guiding the disposal of asbestos at Council facilities, including: ■ Asbestos quantities must be wetted down and double-wrapped in thick
plastic in manageable sizes, as the customer will have to handle it themselves.
■ Disposal will generally be required prior to 3pm. ■ Disposal of commercial quantities of asbestos must be accompanied
by a Waste Transport Certificate.
For your safety and the safety of the community: Don’t store or reuse any asbestos materials. Don’t dispose of asbestos waste in a domestic rubbish bin, skip or Council waste collections. Don’t dump asbestos waste - fines apply.
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DECEASED ANIMALS Deceased animals are only accepted at our Central Waste and Resource Recovery Facility located at Bromelton. Animals that can be disposed of include: ■ Cattle ■ Sheep
Book ahead Council requires 24 hours notice prior to the disposal of asbestos and deceased animals, please call ahead on 5540 5111.
■ Pigs ■ Horses ■ Donkeys
If you bring in a deceased horse or donkey, you must provide a certificate from a vet clearing it of Hendra virus.
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SOIL AND OTHER ITEMS FROM FIRE ANT RESTRICTED ZONES Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, individuals and organisations have a general biosecurity obligation to take all reasonable steps to ensure they do not spread fire ants, a highly invasive species. Council’s Waste and Resource Recovery Facilities have strict protocols about bringing soil and other items from a Fire Ant Restricted Zone. Acceptance of soil and other items from a restricted zone must be managed in accordance with the following restricted items requirements. Restricted items include: ■ Soil (fill, clay, scrapings, topsoil, potting media and any other material from
the ground). ■ Mulch, manure, bark, hay, pot plants, potting mix, turf, gravels, poultry litter and green waste that has been stockpiled before disposal. ■ NOTE: Freshly cut green waste (same day as disposal) is not a restricted item and can be disposed of at all sites. Restricted items originating within Restricted Zone 1 can only be taken to a Waste and Resource Recovery Facility located in either Zone 1 or Zone 2. Restricted items originating within Zone 2 can only be taken to a Waste and Resource Recovery Facility located in Zone 2. Further information on current fire ants including current zones is available from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries daf.qld.gov.au/businesspriorities/biosecurity/invasive-plants-animals/ants/fire-ants
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Resources ■ Scenic Rim Regional Council scenicrim.qld.gov.au/waste-services ■ Planet Ark's Recycling Near You recyclingnearyou.com.au ■ Recycle Mate App recyclemate.com.au ■ GIVIT givit.org.au ■ Containers For Change containersforchange.com.au ■ TerraCycle TerraCycle.com.au ■ RedCycle redcycle.net.au ■ paintback paintback.com.au ■ Mobile Muster mobilemuster.com.au ■ drumMUSTER drummuster.org.au ■ ChemClear chemclear.org.au
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Reduce waste. Recycle more. Reuse more.
Working together to keep the Scenic Rim spectacular
PO Box 25 | 82 Brisbane Street, Beaudesert QLD 4285 Telephone 07 5540 5111 AES2021.0024
scenicrim.qld.gov.au