A consultants’ report presented to the council last week outlined a new waste management strategy, including a public education campaign and a limited trial for a third bin for organic waste, which could lead to reducing or ceasing green waste verge collections.
The City adopted the strategy and decided to continue with its two-bin system for weekly waste and fortnightly recycling collections.
“Kwinana is currently one of the lowest-performing councils in the SMRC and the recent bin tagging trial identified a pressing need for more and improved resident waste education,” the report compiled by MRA Consulting Group said.
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“However, delivery of the program assisted to this level increasing to 69 per cent of households and to an overall decrease in contamination.”
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The report said actively engaging the community could return significant improvements in behaviour.
“Although the current education provided to residents is not adequate, significant improvements can be made through a persistent and targeted campaign,” it said.
“The City of Kwinana intends to improve its waste education material and efforts in order to improve the waste management behaviour of residents.”
Last year a community survey revealed that 83 per cent of residents would like a third bin introduced to separate food and garden organics.
“The City of Kwinana has been invited by the South Metropolitan Regional Council to participate in a limited Food Organics and Green Organics three-bin trial and current tender specifications are being written that allow for a FOGO trial to be carried out at 200 houses,” the report said.