Showing posts with label Landfill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Landfill. Show all posts

Monday, 2 July 2012

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.

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Leichardt Council Electronic (e-waste) drop-off recycling day

Electronic (e-waste) drop-off recycling day

18 Feb 2012
9.00am - 3.00pm
Cintra Park Carpark, Crane St, Concord.

View map for entry and exit points: Cintra Park car park

Accepted

Computers: hard drives, monitors, keyboards, printers, scanners, faxes and cables.
Home entertainment: TV's, DVD and CD players, sound systems, games and consoles.

Not-accepted

White goods: fridges, freezers, washing machines, dryers and air conditioners. Leichhardt Council has a separate book-in service for whitegoods and metals.
Lighting: fluorescent tubes and halogen lights.
Hazardous waste: smoke detectors, chemicals and broken glass.
For a full list of accepted and non-accepted items visit Computers / TV's - E-waste (electronic wastes)
What else do I need to know?
  • The e-Waste 'drop off' day is free to local residents of Leichhardt & Canada Bay Councils (please provide proof of residency)
  • Pack your e-Waste securely and drive safely.
  • On arrival, follow the traffic controller's instructions and do not alight from your vehicle unless instructed. Staff will unload your vehicle for you.
Try selling your working goods at SecondHandSaturday!
Please support the day by keeping e-Waste out of your garbage bin or general household collection in readiness for this great initiative.

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

City of Sydney E-Waste Drop Off Date (Sunday 3rd June 2012)

Bring your E-waste City of Sydney's Bay Street Depot in Ultimo (corner of Bay and Macarthur Street), between 9am and 3pm. Park in Broadway Shopping Centre and do some Easter Shopping and lessen the footprint on the environment by joining the two trips together.
 
Do you have broken TVs, monitors, computers and mobile phones that you no longer want or need? If you are a City of Sydney resident, you can recycle them for free by dropping them off at our quarterly e-waste recycling days. No booking is required.

2012 Collection dates
- Sunday 3 June
- Sunday 9 September
- Sunday 2 December

What’s the problem with e-waste?

E-waste is electronic waste and can contain hazardous materials such as lead and mercury which can leach into waterways and cause irreparable environmental and human harm when sent to landfill . In Australia, E-waste is growing at three times the rate of ordinary household waste. Australians generate 140,000 tonnes of e-waste each year.

What items can be dropped off?
- All computer parts
- Cameras
- CDs and DVDs and tapes
- Cordless tools (eg drills)
- Desktops
- DVD players
- Electronic components
- Electronic games
- Fax machines
- Floppy disks and CD drives
- Hairdryers
- Household batteries
- Joysticks
- Landline phones
- Laptops
- Lead acid batteries
- Microwaves
- Mobile phones
- Monitors
- Network equipment
- Photocopiers
- Printers
- Projectors
- Scanners
- Servers
- Speakers
- Switching gear
- Televisions
- Vacuum cleaners
- Video recorders

Items not accepted
- Car batteries
- Fluorescent tubes and energy savings light globes
- Hazardous waste, like chemicals, paints and pesticides
- Smoke alarms

Bring along: ID and proof of address.

If you are bringing small or easy-to-carry items, we encourage you to walk, cycle or take public transport to reduce congestion and carbon emissions.

Recycling e-waste is important

Recycling saves energy and precious natural resources like water, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat global warming. Between 95 and 98 per cent of all E-waste collected on the day will be recovered and reused.

To help Australia keep E-waste out of landfill, the City supports a national scheme for managing electronic waste – where producers are responsible for recycling products at the end of their useful life.