Three-bin service proving effective for VIC council

The Mildura Rural City Council has published its findings from utilising a three-bin service for 12 months, particularly in reducing waste to landfill volumes and providing a significant contribution to the council’s emission reduction targets.

Mildura Rural City Council said that the three-bin system has helped to halve the amount of waste going to landfill, from 12,3000 tonnes in 2019/2020 to just 6,012 tonnes in 2020/21.

Council said that these results are despite an overall increase in the amount of waste which has been generated throughout the region, over the past year.

Diversion rates for waste now sit at 74 per cent, a steep increase from the previously recorded 31 per cent.

As part of a 12-month review of the service, the Council underwent an independent audit, detailing the effectiveness of the three-bin system.

Councillor for Environment and Sustainability Jodi Reynolds said the audit detailed areas of potential improvement for the service, as well as the aspects which have been proven to be effective.

“Almost a quarter of the waste found in red bins that could have gone in residents’ new 240-litre green bin was food scraps, which tells us we can certainly improve these contamination rates with a few simple changes in our kitchens and homes,” Reynolds said.

“I would encourage anyone who wants to know more about how to manage their red bin or wants some tips on how to make best use of it, to contact our Waste Management team who are there to help.”

An additional 240-litre bin for residents’ organic and garden waste has also resulted in less illegal dumping, with rates dropping almost 30 per cent over the past 12 months.

The service has also saved council and ratepayers more than $420,000, in reduced waste charges from the Victorian Government.

“Based on current forecasts, we expect to save our municipality more than $5 million in potential waste charges under our current three-bin service over the next decade, which is huge,” Reynolds said.