TWO cities with more than 65,000 dwellings certainly can churn out a lot of waste.
Both Cities: Rockingham and Kwinana supply those dwellings with at least two bins; with Rockingham recently issuing a third bin.
Recycling is not just good for the environment but is proving a useful resource.
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READ NOWThe City of Kwinana are taking some innovative approaches.
Mayor Carol Adams said they are currently trialling two ‘solar bins’ at the Kwinana Adventure Park.
“We’re using solar options wherever practical, including new automatic solar bins,” she said.
She said as the bin fills special sensors are triggered which start the compactor.
The bins send text messages to caretakers when they have compacted full and ready to be emptied.
“Waste education is one of our top priorities,” she said.
“The City has introduced new initiatives including a new dedicated Waste Education Officer and introduction of community and school tours of the Regional Resource and Recovery Centre (RRRC) recycling facility,” she said.
A new bin tagging program would start later in the year to gather information on people’s recycling habits.
Kwinana has two bins: a general waste 240 litre green lid bin and a 240 litre yellow lid recycling bin.
The City of Rockingham’s three bin system caused some trepidation.
The general waste bin shrunk to 140 litres while the recycling bin grew 240 – 360 litres and the third bin is 240 litres for green waste.
Comments on the City’s face book page ranged from fear at the bins shrinkage to others who enjoyed having a third bin.
Loving the new bins. It’s so good to finally have a garden waste bin and hardly anything is going into my landfill bin now because so much is recyclable. Very happy.
The red lit bin needs to be bigger No matter how much u put in the recycling one! A family of 3 soon to be 4 just doesn’t cut the tiny bin.
Mayor Sammels the new system would reduce waste to landfill.
“We aim to increase its recycling to exceed State recovery targets of 65 per cent of 2020 by upgrading the bin service,” he said.
Both Rockingham and Kwinana residents can also take advantage of the recycling yard at the Millar Road Rubbish Dump.
It is open to the public and recyclable material in residential quantities can be dropped off free of charge, depending on the types and condition of the material.
It includes household and garden items and landfill staff will check to see if the items are accepted or not depending on what they are and the condition.
The following items are accepted free of charge at the Millar Road Landfill Facility (subject to the acceptance of landfill staff)
– cardboard – compacted (compactor available on site) – polystyrene, excluding seedling drainage squares – compacted (compactor available on site) – clear film and bubble wrap plastics – compacted (compactor available on site) – gas bottles, car batteries and motor oil (max 20 litres) – pavers – all scrap metal, including fridges, washing machines and microwaves – other items accepted at landfill staff discretion.
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