Household chemical and e-waste drop-off - Marrickville Council

Marrickville Council provides four free drop-off events throughout the year where you can take your e-waste for recycling and dispose of unwanted chemicals safely.

Upcoming events

■Saturday 9 August 2014, 9am–3.30pm
E-waste: Open to ALL residents.
Household chemicals: Open to Marrickville Council residents only.

■Saturday 8 November 2014, 9am–3.30pm
E-waste: Open to ALL residents.
Household chemicals: Open to ALL residents.

Location: Marrickville Council Works Depot, 15-17 Unwins Bridge Road, St Peters

Entry is via Bolton Street and exit via Unwins Bridge Road as it is a left-hand turn only.

Do not leave chemicals and e-waste items outside the gate after opening hours – this is dangerous and will be treated as an illegal dumping matter. No materials can be dropped off or accepted at Marrickville Council Works Depot prior to or after the event.

If you cannot attend on one of the above dates, please visit the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage website for other dates and locations around Sydney. Please note, however, that these events are for household chemical items only and not e-waste items.
For other drop off points for televisions and computers visit http://recyclingnearyou.com.au/computers/MarrickvilleNSW.

Council would like to thank Techcollect who are covering the recycling costs of televisions and computers collected at our next event on Saturday 8 February 2014 under the national product stewardship scheme.

Household chemicals we accept

 Solvents and household cleaners
 Household batteries
 Fluorescent globes and tubes
 Smoke detectors
 Painting and paint-related products
 Pesticides and herbicides
 Poisons
 Gas bottles
 Fire extinguishers
 Pool chemicals
 Hobby chemicals
 Acids and alkalis
 Car batteries
 Motor oils, fuels and fluids

E-waste we accept
 Computers and accessories
 TVs and monitors
 Videos, CDs, DVDs and floppy disks
 Printers, scanners, copiers, fax machines
 Telephones – mobile and landline
 Power tools, including cordless drills etc
 Entertainment appliances
 Household appliances e.g. vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, microwaves
 Cameras and recorders
 Electronic games e.g. consoles, joysticks

What we do NOT accept

 Air conditioners
 Freezers and fridges
 Cardboard boxes and packaging
 Empty paint containers

All brands are accepted. Bring along your electronic item from the home office, entertainment area, kitchen and shed. We also accept electronic toys and gadgets.

Important tips to transport chemicals safely
 Never mix chemicals as this may produce dangerous reactions
 Please remember to pack unwanted chemicals in secure containers to ensure that the chemicals do not leak or spill
 Wherever possible keep all chemicals in their original containers
 Ensure containers are clearly labelled and well sealed. If you do not know what is in the container, label it UNKNOWN CHEMICAL
 Liquid can leak during transport. Wrap containers holding liquids securely in newspaper and place them into sturdy plastic bags, then pack in plastic buckets or trays
 Keep household chemicals away from passengers, e.g. in the boot
http://www.marrickville.nsw.gov.au/Global/Environment/Recycling%20and%20waste/HCCFlyer.pdf

Link to Council Website Details about This Event http://www.marrickville.nsw.gov.au/en/environment/recycling-and-waste/household-chemical-and-e-waste-drop-off/

 

Recycle Organic Waste

Great Excerpt from this Councils webpage

Bokashi Buckets

The Bokashi Bucket is another great option for small urban spaces. The Bokashi Bucket ferments layers of chopped kitchen waste overlain with Bokashi mix, a Japanese discovery made up of grains or saw dust with Effective Micro-organisms (EM) to speed up the fermentation process. The bucket is sealed air tight, so there’s no access for bugs or vermin, allowing your meat scraps to be included also! There’s also no worms to care for, so onions and citrus are back on the composting menu.

 

Even better, the air tight seal means no nasties can get in or out of your Bokashi Bucket, thus no smells (or very little smell, mostly just the nice earthy smell of the Bokashi mix). This means you can even keep your Bokashi Bucket in the kitchen cupboard!

 

Where to get it. Bokashi Buckets are available at most hardware stores, and some nurseries. The buckets are most often made of recycled plastic, with a grate at the bottom to allow the juice to collect beneath your scraps, and a tap to release the juice.

 

How it works. Collect your daily organic scraps in a recycled plastic container on the kitchen bench and add them to your Bokashi Bucket in layers. As you add layers, squash the scraps into the bucket with a potato masher and sprinkle on the Bokashi mix to cover lightly. Your bucket will yield lovely ‘bokashi juice’ every few days depending on how much you feed it. Dilute the juice 1:100 for use on the garden or use straight down sinks or toilets to clean drains. Once your bucket is full, bury the fermented organics 20-25cm below the surface of the soil and it will become lovely compost.

 

No digging space? Bury in a friend’s garden, their soil will love it!

 

The Bokashi Bucket is also a great option for Fly In Fly Out workers or those away from home quite often. With the bucket’s air tight seal in tact you can leave it for several weeks without worrying your compost will go rancid.

 

_____________________________________________________

Poster: Just a sub note comment, Some sensitive plants,  you may

want to dilute Bokashi juice in your watering can out to 200:1

(Water/Bokashi Juice).

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Footprints Eco Festival 2013

As  a visitor, I would confirm a great day had by all, last Sunday, in Sydney's Whites Creek Valley Parklands, The sun shone through and it was well delivered,  thanks to all the organisers and contributors.

Future Fest Illawarra - Celebrating World Environment Day 2013!

From the success of last year’s event, Kiama Council will once again hold the “Future Fest Illawarra” at The Pavilion, Kiama on

Sunday 20 October 2013 from 10am – 3pm

“Future Fest Illawarra” is in celebration of World Environment Day and this annual event will include the Smart Living Expo which offers an amazing opportunity for green businesses to highlight how their products and services can help householders adapt to a more sustainable lifestyle.
“Future Fest Illawarra” is an initiative of Kiama Municipal Council.  This regional event will also include a comprehensive activities program including workshops, talks, seminars and demonstrations.  In addition, a celebrity ambassador will be engaged to assist with the promotion of this event to enable us to capture a wider audience.
Registrations are now open!
At only $100.00  per exhibitor (business) space (2m x 2m) this is a great opportunity for you to showcase your products and services.  To register, please visit kiamasphere.com.au/futurefestillawarra and complete the form online.  Registrations close Friday, 4 October 2013.
We would like your business/organisation to be involved in some way, so please do not hesitate to call the Smart Living Expo co-ordinator, Byron Robinson on 4232 0436 or if you have any questions about the Expo.

Randwick City Council Eco-living Fair 2013

Celebrating all things green and sustainable

The festival will be held on Sunday 15 September 2013 from 10:30am to 3:30pm.

It is held at The Randwick Community Centre located at 27 Munda Street, Randwick.

Event Overview

The Randwick City Council Eco-living Fair is a free annual event that provides the perfect opportunity for the community to come together to learn about the benefits of living a sustainable lifestyle.

This year we celebrate the ninth Eco-living Fair and it is fair to say it is now firmly established as the premiere green event of the east. Held in the unique setting of the Randwick Community Centre, surrounded by the Randwick Environment Park, the Eco-living Fair has something for the whole family to enjoy with advice and information on offer from local community groups and green industry experts, delicious healthy food, free entertainment and kids activities and a variety of market stalls selling quality wares.

Many local partner organisations attend to provide information and conduct formal and informal talks and workshops based on the environmental issues that affect our community in their homes, at school and in the workplace.

This year for the first time we will offer some fresh produce stalls - so bring your market basket or shopping bags along and stock up on fruit, nuts, bread, oils and veggies.

Aims and Objectives

We hope that people come to the Eco-living Fair wanting to find out more about how to live sustainably and how to reduce their ecological footprint particularly energy and water consumption.  Our aim is that every person leaves having learnt something about the environment.

Our event is powered by renewable forms of energy including wind, solar and bio diesel and we are giving away over 3000 trees to our visitors to help offset the carbon used in the event's infrastructure delivery and operation. Food and food scraps will be collected and will provide breakfast, lunch and dinner for our worms in our huge worm farm. We are also running a book exchange - bring along an old book and swap it for one you haven't read yet. We encourage sustainable transport and offer a free shuttle bus service and bike valet - so hop on a bus or hop on a bike and get dropped off right at the door.

Take a look at the highlights from last year's Eco-Living Fair.


Note: Above information is taken the public & published website about the The City of Randwick's upcoming 2013 event.  We have contributed/blogged to/on this event on 2 previous years, a worthwhile event to attend!  Bring the Family!

"Bokashi Composting Australia" will have a stall at this event in 2013 to answer any questions about Bokashi Composting.  Product also available on the day to purchase.

Bokashi Workshop 24 August 2013 - Sutherland Shire Council

When: Start: 8:30AM, 24 Aug 2013 Finish: 12:30PM, 24 Aug 2013

Where: Council Nursery 345 The Boulevarde, Gymea

Cost:FREE

 

*Bookings are essential and are now open. Only open to Shire residents.

Workshop Details

This fun, informative, hands-on practical workshop teaches you how to hold food waste in an airtight 'bokashi bucket,' to transform it into nutrient rich soil conditioner. An ideal composter for people with limited space.

Bokashi in detail

The Bokashi composting bucket transforms kitchen waste into a nutrient rich soil conditioner.

• The Bokashi bucket is a medium sized storage container that stores your kitchen scraps such as vegetable/fruit peelings, meat and more.
• The organic material once placed inside the airtight bucket helps break down your kitchen scraps for several weeks and without the odour of traditional composting.
• The contents can be dug straight into your pot plants or into your garden to improve the soil.
• The Bokashi mix can be used to enhance your existing composting system too. The Bokashi mix increases decomposition by approximately 66%.

Booking Details

Book online here or call  the Waste Education Officer on  02 9710 5782.

Food & Garden Waste into Resources

Wollongong City Council delves into Household Garbage and how to deal with local landfill issues.

In this web article page, Wollongong Council covers traditional composting, (which some of us are more familiar with)  Top marks that they have a program and calendar for local workshops.  equally important to some is there is an email address that residents can contact (and get added to their newsletter)  sustainability@wollongong.nsw.gov.au

If in the meantime you wish to buy a Bokashi Bucket & Bokashi mix,  you can visit via the web to www.bokashi.com.au (Local Experts). 

When speaking with your local council, don't forget to request that the local service centre stocks the Bokashi Buckets and Bokashi Mix.  For example,  Kiama Council,  stocks and sells this system at a reduced price to ratepayers and you can pick up the products Kiama Council’s Works Depot, Belvedere Street, Kiama .

Food and Garden Waste into Resources

 

Gosford City Council on Recycling Organic Waste

One long informative web page on being sustainable at home and at work.  Composting, Worm Farming, Composting in general...  I have read through, and this is a great synapses to what is available to home owners, wishing to make a change...  Check-out the "Bokashi Bucket's" section at the bottom of the page.  To buy Bokashi Buckets in NSW, head to www.bokashi.com.au or request your local Council or municipality to stock the buckets and Bokashi Mix.  http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/environment/sustainability/waste/organic-waste

The Ecoliving Fair 2012

Randwick City Council's annual environmental event, The Ecoliving Fair, provides the perfect opportunity to learn about the benefits of living a sustainable lifestyle.

When:	Sep 16 2012
Time:	10:30am-3:30pm
Location:	Randwick Community Centre, Munda Street (off Bundock Street, off Hendy Avenue), Randwick
Contact:	Events on 9399 0999
Email:	events@randwick.nsw.gov.au

The Ecoliving Fair is a fantastic local community event incorporating the Festival of the Bike and the Garden Awards. This environmental family fun day provides an opportunity to celebrate and educate the community about living sustainably.

With free workshops, talks, native plant giveaways, organic food and a huge variety of stalls selling local quality wares there really is something for everyone.

Why not push some pedal power and ride your bike to the Fair - you can valet your bike! There will be lots of free activities and entertainment so come along bring the entire family and enjoy a guilt free day out!

Parramatta Council's Fab New Waste Solution!

Dissappointingly I received a flyer over the last couple of weeks "Have YOUR Say on Waste Collection". Parra City Waste Survey "Take part in our survey and win one of 10 x $200 gift vouchers from Coles Myer, Bunnings, JB Hi FI"  Guys, which company has supported you on this and actually knows the proposed outcomes?

All new services carry a new charge.  So, this flyer, is a softner fo ratepayers and what they can expect to see on their next rates review.

Point1, Getting to the point:  Option 2: Dispose of food waste in the Garden Organics Bin.  Several Sydney councils have gone down this line over the past 5 years.  Penrith, Manly area, Eastern suburbs.  All seem to be missing the point with regards to recycling food waste in an organic and sustainable way.  For example, Penrith council put this in place some 3 years or so ago.  Within weeks, customers had rotting food in bins, in the hot summer, outside there addresses, with flys, smells and stenches to deal with.  The proposed pickups are not regular enough to guarantee a clean and healthy envoronment around the home.

Point 2, where is the waste going?  Nobody ever questions where the waste ends up,  they just wear the councils decision and abide by the new rules.  Unless the food waste is pastuerised immediately via a large commercial facility and turned into a nutrient rich soil conditioner or pellets (fertiliser) then the process is absolutely useless and will just create methane and gaps in landfil that will be disastrous.  My guess (unqualified) is it will be dumped with the rest of our waste.  They don't mention in the survey flyer, where the waste goes, or how it will be treated...

A better way to treat your household families food waste is to treat it with EM or bokashi powder, then compost the treated waste in a responsible way, like: heat treating and producing some form of pellets or fertiliser, or digging back through your garden, completing a close to home organic cycle.

I cannot say for sure, but I guess that most of these previous councils schemes have failed already and been shelved.  This scheme is only benefitting:  the waste contracters and the wholesale suppliers of wheelie bins.  Shame on you councils, for wasting ratepayers money on poorly researched schemes.

To get an idea of how the Japanese Bokashi System should work, check out www.bokashi.com.au .  EM (Effectictive Microorganisms) are naturally occuring and prevent food waste from rotting or putryfying.  Enabling you to re-use you kitchen food waste as a safe and nutrient rich soil conditioner, with no bad smells or bad effects on our fragile environment.

Do you want your smellie rotting food sitting in your compound for up to a week?

Very happy to receive your comments and reply as an exponent on Bokashi use in Australia.

Footprints Eco Festival

As  a visitor, I would confirm a great day had by all, last Sunday, in Sydneys Whites Creek Valley Parklands, The sun shone through and it was well delivered,  thanks to all the organisers and contributors.

Leichhardt Council Sells Bokashi Buckets

How can I get a Compost bin, Wormfarm or Bokashi Bucket?

Bokashi Buckets and Bokashi mix can be bought and collected at Council’s Citizen Service Centre or you can download an Order Form below and forward it with payment by cheque to the Citizen Service Centre and your Bokashi Bucket will be delivered.

Willoughby Council Sells Bokashi Buckets

Willoughby Council sells  Bokashi Buckets (plus starter mix) to residents.  Bokashi Buckets cost $64 (includes one bag of starter mix). Bokashi Buckets can be picked up from the Help and Service Centre on level 4, 31 Victor Street, Chatswood.

You can either pay over the counter at the Help and Service Centre by cheque, cash or credit card, or post a cheque to Willoughby City Council, P.O. Box 57, Chatswood, NSW 2057, with a note saying what it’s for and with an address for delivery. To find out more, call 9777 1000. (Please note that all credit card transactions incur a 1% fee.)

Kiama Council World Environment Day

Blogging from Kiama Councils Sustainability Day (includes Car Boot Sale). Kiama Council for today only, have a limited number of 19L Bokashi Buckets on special for AUD$50.00. Includes 1 kg Bokashi Powder. Kiama Residents only.

Finishes 12:30pm. Great Carboot Sale, I have already picked up some great items. Idea being that a lot of this stuff will not end up in landfill.

Farmers market also is very good.

Randwick Council 150th Anniversary

Sunday, 22nd February

Alison Park, Randwick, NSW

Details: The Mayor of Randwick Council Cr Bruce Notley-Smith invites you to a celebration of our past 150 years, our present and our future.

Date: Sunday 22 February, 2009 Venue: Alison Park, Alison Road, Randwick

Time: 10 am – 6 pm

150 years ago Randwick was proclaimed the first municipal council in New South Wales, and we are celebrating! Join in the fun:

10 am event opens with UNSW Regiment Band performance

11 am official opening including traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony & indigenous dancing speech by the Mayor & historian Pauline Curby African drum circle and interactive show Traditional Chinese Lion Dance Brazilian drumming performance

1 pm Launch of Public Art Project Capoiera show and Brazilian dancing The Rhythm Rides - live blues and jazz

3.35 pm Cavan Te – amazing live band and

4.40 pm The Barry Leef Band – songs of the Doobie Brothers All day activities include • free pony rides and petting zoo • stories from the Dreamtime and boomerang painting • create a wish for the future at the Wishing Tree • free fortune teller readings • interactive Green Farm and market garden stalls • international feast of food • Mission Australia’s 150th anniversary stall – butterfly face painting • bus tour to Coogee Beach

We hope you can join us to mark this historic occasion.

Contact: Events Unit or call 02 9939 0792