BSFG’s WasteWise committee is working with Benalla Rural City Council to reduce the amount of waste transported to landfill.
According to council, the adoption of our organic waste (green) bins several years ago has seen a huge reduction in the amount of general waste (red bin waste) that goes to landfill.
The community’s rates pay directly for landfill, so reducing our general waste by putting all organic waste in green bins will directly benefit rates, as well as reducing the land required in the future for waste disposal.
Green bins came with a sticker explaining what can, and cannot, go inside.
If yours has come off you can get a replacement at the Benalla Rural City Customer Service Centre on Bridge St.
It includes this information:
What can go in the green bin:
- Fruit and vegetable scraps;
- Meat and bones;
- Fish and seafood, including shells;
- Food scraps;
- Paper towels and tissues;
- Shredded paper;
- Pet manure, fur and feathers;
- Dairy products and egg shells; and
- Garden prunings including grass clippings, weeds, leaves and small branches.
What cannot go in the green bin:
- Food packaging;
- Glass;
- Plastics;
- Aluminium foil;
- Household rubbish;
- Gravel or dirt;
- Concrete;
- Treated timber; and
- Ash.
In just 12 months between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, Benalla’s green bins diverted more than 1900 tonnes of organic waste from landfill — a fantastic result.
However, we can always improve on this achievement, and every little reduction in general waste helps reduce the total impact of rubbish — including the cost to all of us.
Only about 50 per cent of households are using their green bins, so if more of us use them, the reduction in waste going to landfill will be even more significant.
A mini hint is to use a green bag in your paper shredder to get rid of personal papers and it is easy to add to the organics bin; other paper of course should be recycled in the yellow bin.
See our column on yellow bins in our next Ensign column.
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