Waste Management Strategy 2024-2030

In late 2023, the community gave feedback that they were concerned about the impact of waste-facility closures and reduction in operating hours.

In the Waste Management Strategy 2024-2030:

• One of the objectives of Focus Area 4 is for Council to demonstrate strategic service-delivery planning and investment in infrastructure. Council's strategies to meet this objective include:
  • rationalise the waste transfer facility network with appropriate opening times to service the community needs
  • undertake a master planning and upgrade program to rationalise waste transfer facilities to achieve resource recovery gains and improved customer experience
  • assess the development of a new transfer station to service the growing Plainland area.

In late 2023, the community gave feedback that:

• Council meeting its legislative obligations for waste management is important, and
• that existing waste management fees and charges are already substantial.

In the Waste Management Strategy 2024-2030:

• A major priority is to secure funding opportunities to improve resource recovery outcomes in a way that limits cost impact to ratepayers
• One of the objectives of Focus Area 3 is for Council to maximise resource recovery and extend the useful asset lives of our waste facilities. Council's strategies to meet this objective include:
  • prepare a business case for the recommencement of operations at the Gatton Material Recovery Facility (contingent on securing State Government funding), avoiding the need to transport material outside the region, and reducing recycling costs for ratepayers
• One of the objectives of Focus Area 5 is to collaborate at a regional level to create opportunities to manage waste and resources at scale and secure funding. Council's strategies to meet this objective include:
  • source opportunities and obtain funding to deliver waste programs and initiatives to mitigate the cost impact of resource recovery on ratepayers.

In late 2023, the community gave feedback that education is important – for children and for residents who are new to the area.

In the Waste Management Strategy 2024-2030:

• A major priority is to increase education and community engagement around waste and resources
• The objective of Focus Area 1 is to implement and support education and behaviour change programs to maximise waste avoidance, reuse, and resource recovery. Council's strategies to meet this objective include:
  • create a Waste Education and Behaviour Change plan and resource it appropriately
  • deliver programs targeting early learning, schools, industry/business, and visitors 
  • implement specific education programs for kerbside recycling and organics.

In late 2023, the community gave feedback that:

• turning organic (food and garden) waste into compost rather than putting into landfill is important, and
• that there was a preference for green bins over FOGO bins, and
• that new services should be optional.

In the Waste Management Strategy 2024-2030:

• A major priority is to introduce a kerbside organics collection service and landfill gas capture to mitigate future climate change
• The objective of Focus Area 2 is to implement an organics recovery solution and reduce the generation of greenhouse gas
  • the proposed kerbside garden organics service will be offered as a voluntary, user-pays service
  • Council's strategy to reduce organics to landfill will include support of home composting initiatives.