2010 Local Council Award prize is turning Waste 2 Resource

Sunshine Coast Council, recipient of the 2010 Local Council Award, received $5000 towards a community based environmental project. This award was generously donated by Veolia Environnement.

The Council has a well established waste education and engagement program called “Waste 2 Resource”. Currently 11 schools are signed up for the Waste 2 Resource STARS Program, and 64 schools are engaged in the Waste 2 Resource Education Program.

Thanks to the award funds, the Council has been able to provide infrastructure for these schools in the form of Organics Caddies for the collection of organic waste for composting, worm farming or feeding to the school chickens. While the Council provides 240L yellow lidded wheelie bins for the collection of recycling for schools, the Clean Up Australia Day award funds have allowed Council to also provide schools with source separation for staffrooms and tuckshops in the form of “multisorts”, slimline bins with colour coded lids more suitable than wheelie bins for confined situations.  

In the first six months most schools have diverted approximately 25% of their waste stream. This diversion rate is continuing to grow as schools roll out the organics caddies and multisorts across more areas of the school. Council’s vision is to support schools with infrastructure and training through the STARS program to ensure waste minimisation techniques are embedded in school curriculum to achieve long term goals.