Introduction
Fostering lasting behaviour change through strategic waste education is a key part of Rivers Regional Council's efforts to reduce waste and increase resource recovery in the region. The Council employs a full-time Regional Waste Education Coordinator who is available to assist schools, member councils, local businesses and community groups to plan, implement and evaluate waste education activities.
As part of the Council's Strategic Waste Management Plan (SWMP), the major education project for 2009-2010 is the planning and implementation of a five year Regional Waste Education Strategy which will aim to significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill by raising the community's awareness of the benefits of recycling, resource recovery and avoiding waste. The strategy will operate hand in hand with the Council's proposal to develop a Resource Recovery Facility in the near future. A copy of the Strategy will soon be available on the website.
To assist in the development of the Strategy, a Regional Waste Education Strategy Steering Group (RWESSG) has been established. The group comprises a minimum of one representative from each member council and meets every six weeks.
Download minutes of the RWESSG meetings:
To contact the Regional Waste Education Coordinator, email: education@rrc.wa.gov.au
Facts & Figures
In 2006-2007, approximately 124, 383 tonnes of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) was collected through kerbside collections. Of this amount, approximately 96, 869 tonnes of waste went to landfill while only 22, 531 tonnes (18.87%) was recovered for recycling. We have to lift our game!
Kerbside MSW Tonnages (2006/07)
| Armadale | Gosnells | Mandurah | Murray | Serpentine- Jarrahdale | South Perth | Waroona | TOTAL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kerbside Refuse Collected | 16,872 | 31,926 | 22,393 | 3,537 | 2,945 | 12,458 | 958 | 92,775 | |
| Kerbside Refuse to AWT * | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,983 | 0 | 4,983 | |
| Kerbside Refuse to Landfill | 16,872 | 31,926 | 22,393 | 3,537 | 2,945 | 7,475 | 958 | 87,792 | |
| Kerbside Recyclables Collected | 5,405 | 9,943 | 8,482 | 1,485 | 1,553 | 4,406 | 334 | 31,608 | |
| Dry Recyclable Residues to Landfill | 1,640 | 3,015 | 2,545 | 214 | 243 | 1,336 | 84 | 9,077 | |
| Contamination Rate ** | 30.34% | 30.32% | 30.00% | ~30 %*** | ~30 %*** | 30.32% | 25.15% | 28.72% | |
| Total Kerbside Collections | 22,277 | 41,869 | 30,875 | 5,022 | 4,498 | 16,864 | 1,292 | 124,383 | |
| Total Kerbside Waste to Landfill | 18,512 | 34,941 | 26,624 | 3,751 | 3,188 | 8,811 | 1,042 | 96,869 | |
| Kerbside Recyclables Recovered | 3,765 | 6,928 | 5,937 | 1,271 | 1,310 | 3,070 | 250 | 22,531 | |
| KERBSIDE RECYCLING RECOVERY RATE**** | 16.90% | 16.55% | 19.23% | 25.31% | 29.12% | 25.84% | 19.35% | 18.87% |
Rivers Regional Council's Strategic Waste Management Plan (SWMP) provides more comprehensive information about population demographics, waste generation/composition, recycling, projections and waste management services and infrastructure in the region.
To view the full SWMP, click here