►Environment ►Waste and Recycling

2020 Vision on Waste

The 2020 vision contains a number of initiatives designed to reduce the volume of waste going to landfill

What is the Vision ?

Bega Valley Shire Council adopted its '2020 Vision on Waste' in 2001 following an extended period of community consultation.

The document provides a framework for Council and the community to work towards reducing the impact of waste on the environment.

This includes reducing the potential impact from:

Past waste generation:  through the closure and rehabilitation of waste facilities;

Current waste generation:  through improved management of waste activities and facilities, and

Future waste generation:  through waste minimisation, effective planning, infrastructure upgrades and community involvement in waste management.

Waste minimisation/recycling:

One of the key objectives of the 2020 Vision is to reduce the impact of waste on the environment by reducing the amount of waste actually generated by the community.

While Council's main priority is on waste avoidance, the plan also contains a number of initiatives designed to encourage re-use and recycling.

A new waste facility

Council's current landfills are filling at a rapid rate and will soon need to be closed.  Strict environmental standards mean that Council is considering establishing a central waste facility to handle the Shire's waste.  council is yet to make a final decision on the location of this facility.

The community's continued support for those actions are initiatives contained in the '2020 Vision' will help ensure this new facility is no larger than any of the Shire's existing landfills.  In addition, council will be able to focus its resources on one facility to ensure a very high standard of environmental performance and safety.

A seed orchard has been established on the site of the old Bega landfill

Past :

There have been several sites used throughout the Bega Valley Shire over the past 100 years for the disposal of solid and liquid wastes.

The great majority of those sites are no longer in use but still have the potential to impact on the environment through:

• Air and water pollution;
• An increased threat to native flora and fauna through the introduction of noxious weeds and vermin;
• Degradation of visual amenity

Actions :

Since adopting the 2020 Vision, Council has:

• Carried out extensive rehabilitation works on the site of the old Bermagui Landfill/sanitary depot including establishment of a native seed orchard, allowing it to return positive outcomes well into the future.

• Carried out extensive rehabilitation works on the site of the old Bermagui Landfill with the area now earmarked as a possible park or reserve.

• Started work on rehabilitation plans for a number of other closed sites including Landfills at Burragate, Pambula, Quaama and Tathra in conjunction with other agencies.

Alternative facilities such as residential bin banks have been provided in those areas where Council has closed rural landfills

 

top

Current :

Landfills:  Landfills have the potential to impact on the environment in different ways depending on factors such as location, engineering design, operation and management and the types of waste accepted.

Small uncontrolled landfills represent a particularly high risk because of factors such as:

• Limited covering of waste;
• Lack of engineering measures;
• Lack of control over the types of waste disposed;
• Unauthorised burning;
• Lack of vermin control.

Actions :

Since adopting the 2020 Vision, Council has:

• Undertaken major capital works at landfill sites in Eden, Bermagui and Merimbula including cell construction, capping, revegetation and sediment control.
• Closed uncontrolled landfills in Towamba and Wonboyn Lake, an uncontrolled transfer station in kiah and a supervised landfill in Wyndham.
• Taken steps through the contract process to ensure that remaining landfills and transfer stations are operated and managed to a standard required by the NSW Environment Protection Authority.
• Introduced measures at local waste facilities to enable on-going monitoring of air, surface water and groundwater quality.

Recycling facilities on the site of the old Wonboyn Lake landfill

 

top

Future :

Residents have embraced the 2020 Vision and there continues to be a steady increase in the volume of material recycled in the Bega Valley Shire.

With the assistance of its '2020 Vision on Waste' advisory committee, Council will continue to work towards a further reduction in the volume of waste going to landfill and ideally, the eventual elimination of waste.

Some of the proposals still to be considered include:

• A move to smaller (140 litre bins) with the existing 240 litre bins to be used for garden organics;

• Further expansion of the existing kerbside recycling service to include steel cans and plastics.

Actions :

Since adopting the 2020 Vision, Council has:

• Formalised recycling procedures at all local waste facilities for the collection of glass, aluminium, paper and cardboard, PET and HDPE plastics, used motor oil, used cooking oil and car batteries.

• Expanded its kerbside collection service to include paper and cardboard as well as glass and aluminium and used motor oil.

• Provided community recycling facilities in Tathra, Wyndham, Kiah, Towamba and Wonboyn Lake.

• Introduced a new pricing structure at local waste facilities benefiting those people who separate their steel, garden and building products for re-use/recycling.

Some of the capital improvements undertaken at the Eden landfill

 

top