Next phase commences in Council’s war on food waste
Thursday 27 August 2020
Inner West Council will commence a new food organics collection in the former Marrickville Local Government Area. The new service is an extension of Leichhardt Council’s longstanding food recycling program in residential apartment buildings.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said this is the next step in Council’s Inner West war on waste, aimed at eliminating the 35 per cent of waste in residential garbage bins that is currently made up of organics that could be otherwise recycled.
“Inner West Council wants to lead the nation in eliminating organic waste. This announcement is the latest stage in the complete overhaul of our domestic waste services,” said Mayor Byrne.
“As Mayor of the former Leichhardt Council I was very proud of Council’s ground-breaking food waste service for apartments.
“We are now expanding the service into the old Marrickville Council area, and plan to make further extensions into the Ashfield area in 2021.
“We are about to roll out a huge community education campaign to eliminate food waste from our garbage bins.
“Reducing food waste is also one of the most important things we can do to reverse global warming.
“Food waste also has a huge impact on people’s hip pockets, with the Government estimating it costs the Australian economy $20 billion each year,” said Mayor Byrne.
The new service in Marrickville is based on an existing service Council provides in the Leichhardt area. It will start in September with 476 buildings and 11,400 apartments. The first collection is scheduled for 7 September 2020.
Residents will receive kitchen bench top bins, special compostable bags and information to assist them in separating food organics at home to put into the burgundy lidded bins provided.
The food recycling service in the Leichhardt area has been operating since 2008, in 500 apartment buildings and 5,000 households. An average of 107 tonnes of food waste is collected annually. Apartment buildings in the Ashfield area are scheduled to receive this service in 2021.
This project was supported by the Environmental Trust as part of the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy.
For media enquiries, contact Elizabeth Heath, Media and Communications Coordinator, 9392 5334 or Elizabeth.Heath@innerwest.nsw.gov.au