It’s all systems “GO” for Port Stephens’ new garden organics waste service, with fortnightly collections beginning from this week.
Following the recent delivery of green bins throughout the LGA, residents can now dispose of prunings, lawn and grass clippings, cut flowers, weeds, sticks, twigs, leaves, bark and branches no bigger than 10cm in diameter.
The introduction of the environmental provision will allow council to meet its waste management requirements while reducing the amount of organic refuse currently being collected.
“In speaking with members of our community, people are already using their new bins for lawn clippings and other waste from their gardens,” mayor Ryan Palmer said.
However, plastic bags, plastic, bio plastic or compostable bin liners, paper, food scraps of any kind, household items, bricks, rocks or soil, pot plants or any kind of priority weeds, treated timber and building materials are not suitable for the garden organics (GO) receptacles.
Council’s community services section manager Tammy Gutsche said the service would operate on the alternate week to the yellow bin pick-up.
“Our new garden organics service will redirect the 25% of green waste, which currently goes to landfill, to be processed into an environmentally sustainable compost product,” she explained.
“This is wonderful for our community and a positive environmental outcome.
“Council’s committed to working with residents to educate them in the most effective use of their new bin.
“Our community is very familiar with the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling waste and this new program presents a great opportunity to remind everyone what we can do towards a greener future.”
Information is available on Port Stephens Council’s website and residents are encouraged to download the Port Stephens Waste app on Google Play for Android, and on the App Store for Apple, or visit portstephens.nsw.gov.au/garden-organics for further details.
For more community stories:
- Port Stephens gears up for NAIDOC Week
- Council seeks feedback on Kurri Kurri Central Sports Precinct
- Council places draft Environmental Sustainability Strategy on exhibition
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