mmg.com.au

Campaspe Shire will trial a green waste and food waste collection program, which if successful could be rolled out throughout the state.

The shire, in conjunction with Goulburn Valley Regional Waste Management Group, Cleanaway and Sustainable Kyabram, will commence an innovative organic waste trial in Kyabram.

As part of the trial, residents will have a third bin for organic and food waste, as well as bins for recycling and domestic rubbish.

The shire will trial the third rubbish bin idea for three months, with 300 Kyabram households invited to take part.

Cr Greg Toll said the aim was to reduce the amount of garden and food waste being sent to landfill.

‘‘Data from comprehensive garbage audits in 2007 and 2010 found that the Campaspe Shire had the highest proportion of total organic waste in the garbage stream in the region,’’ he said.

‘‘Organic material left to decompose in landfill produces a significant amount of methane, which has 21-25 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.

‘‘The results indicated that 65 per cent of domestic garbage going to landfill in the shire was organic food waste, made up of 25 per cent food waste and 40 per cent garden waste.

‘‘Also noted in the 2010 results was the garbage bin weight for Campaspe residents was 16.5 per cent higher than the region average.’’

Cr Toll said waste would be monitored during the trial.

He said would not be surprised if the Victorian Government adopted the program after the trial.

‘‘If it was to work, and I think it will, it would have to take the State Government to launch the program,’’ he said.

‘‘Individual shires would not be able to implement the plan.’’

Cr Toll said the cost of setting up the service could fall on the shoulders of ratepayers.

‘‘If the State Government was to endorse this and put it on local government to fund, then we would have have to pass the costs on to the ratepayers, which could be $100 a year,’’ he said.

‘‘In order to keep food and organic waste out of landfill, I think people will be happy to pay it.’’

Cr Toll said he wanted to make separating food and organic waste from domestic waste to be taught in schools.

‘‘Each year, Australians put $8.5 billion of food waste into landfill, it can take 40 to 50 years to break down and creates large levels of methane in the atmosphere,’’ he said.

‘‘To all of those who do not believe in climate change, the past four to five weeks of floods and bushfires is proof. Our landfills are filling rapidly and it is having an impact on the environment.’’