Local Waste Management Plan - Sutherland ShireDuring 2006/07 a total of 98,314 tonnes of domestic...

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Local Waste Management Plan

Sutherland Shire Council


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Document review and approval

This document has been approved byName Minute No Date approved

1 Works & Emergency Services Committee WKS029-00 190 23 August, 19992 Infrastructure, Works & Emergency Services Committee

WKS103-08740 17 March, 2008

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Revision historyVersion Author Date Revision

1 Manager Waste Services

9 August, 1999 Original Version


10 March, 2008 The Plan was updated to outline Council's Waste Services Unit’s strategic / operational direction to 2015 and actions until 2011.The updated Plan outlines fifty five (55) actions to be undertaken primarily by the Waste Services Unit, including timeframes, responsibility and priority level.


4 March, 2012 Annual review conducted, no amendments necessary

4 Acting Manager Waste Services

24 January, 2013 Annual review conducted, no amendments necessary


21 March, 2014 Annual review conducted, no amendments necessary


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Local WasteManagement Plan


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Executive summary

This plan outlines Council’s strategic and operational direction for waste management to 2015. It is to be used as a workplan for the Waste Services Unit outlining actions to 2011 and can be used as a reference for the rest of the Sutherland Shire Council, key stakeholders and the community.

The focus of this plan is on keeping parks, footpaths and roadways clean and safe for residents to enjoy, and promotion of resource recovery options to increase diversion from landfill due to the rising waste levy and limited landfill life. In addition any future changes to Sutherland’s waste services will prioritise a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This is consistent with the Shire’s strategic plan, Our Shire Our Future, which includes key direction statements of ‘a low waste future, with best practice waste disposal’ and ‘cleaner healthier waterways, beaches, wetlands and parks’.

An internal restructure to combine cleansing and waste services has occurred since late 2007. This plan includes some of the actions that will be undertaken as part of this amalgamation.

Sutherland Shire Council is working with Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils members to establish a long term solution to waste processing needs. Until this system is established no major changes are expected in the current waste collection system for householders.

Over 50% of the Shire’s household waste is recycled through co-mingled recycling, twice yearly clean up and green waste collections. The total quantity of waste generated continues to grow gradually. This is partly attributed to economic growth and increased emphasis on convenience consumer goods. Programs such as Enviro-Works instil long term behaviour change and give residents the skills and tools to reduce their impact on the environment. Effective and integrated environmental education builds the capacity of the community to be informed and active participants in moving towards sustainability.

In the Council’s community satisfaction survey, waste services - garbage, recycling and green waste collection - are ranked as three of the five most important issues for residents. Residents continue to feel highly satisfied with the waste services they are receiving. The cleanliness of local toilets and appearance of the Shire’s suburbs rate high in importance for residents however the satisfaction levels have dropped slightly since 2005. Continuous improvement in infrastructure and operational equipment to maintain these facilities is critical for achieving a high service standard for cleansing.

Illegal dumping and litter continue to consume resources across a number of council units. These issues are less resource intensive to manage than at other Sydney Councils however its important for Sutherland Shire Council to remain proactive in litter and illegal dumping management to keep these issues to a minimum.

Electrical goods, oil and automotive wastes continue to be problematic for council collections. These items are targeted by national extended producer responsibility programs, therefore are not a focus for council run collections. Department of Environment and Climate Change have continued to provide a collection for household hazardous wastes for Councils. Sutherland Shire Council will continue to lobby for extended producer responsibility initiatives that shift costs and responsibilities back to the industry.

Sutherland Shire Council receives over 15,000 formal customer requests (CRMS’s) relating to waste each year. Staff responses to enquiries have improved as a result of advances in monitoring, database tools and communication with drivers. The service is constantly reviewed and monitored as council continues to achieve a best practice, cost effective and convenient waste collection service.


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Table of Contents

1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................................41.1 Vision ....................................................................................................................................................41.2 Objectives .............................................................................................................................................4

2 Shire characteristics ...................................................................................................................................52.1 Links to other strategies........................................................................................................................5

2.1.1 Council policies and strategies.....................................................................................................73 Targets .......................................................................................................................................................84 Litter & waste streams and characteristics .................................................................................................85 Waste avoidance and reduction ...............................................................................................................10

5.1 Enviro-Works ......................................................................................................................................125.2 Schools programs...............................................................................................................................12

6 Domestic recycling and waste services....................................................................................................136.1 Garbage collection..............................................................................................................................136.2 Co-mingled Recycling.........................................................................................................................146.3 Garden waste recycling ......................................................................................................................146.4 Woodchipping Service ........................................................................................................................156.5 Twice Yearly Clean-up Collection.......................................................................................................156.6 Woronora River Barge Service ...........................................................................................................156.7 Household hazardous wastes.............................................................................................................16

7 Illegal dumping .........................................................................................................................................168 Litter..........................................................................................................................................................17

8.1 Street litter bins (B-Tidy Bins) .............................................................................................................188.2 Street and footpath sweeping .............................................................................................................188.3 Park & Sporting Facility Cleansing .....................................................................................................18

8.3.1 Public Toilets..............................................................................................................................198.4 Public place recycling .........................................................................................................................198.5 Clean Up Australia Day ......................................................................................................................208.6 Littering from Cars ..............................................................................................................................20

9 Other waste ..............................................................................................................................................209.1 Commercial and industrial waste........................................................................................................219.2 Construction and demolition waste.....................................................................................................21

9.2.1 Asbestos ....................................................................................................................................219.3 Medical waste collection .....................................................................................................................22

9.3.1 Needle collection service ...........................................................................................................2210 Council waste .....................................................................................................................................2211 Resource Recovery and waste disposal.............................................................................................23

11.1 Landfill operations ..........................................................................................................................2311.1.1 Lucas Heights Waste and Recycling Centre..............................................................................23

11.2 Resource Recovery ........................................................................................................................2311.3 Greenhouse gas reduction .............................................................................................................24

12 Risk Management...............................................................................................................................2513 Performance monitoring and data collection ......................................................................................2514 Implementation Plan ...........................................................................................................................27Appendix 1 Summary of Relevant Policies, Strategies and Organisations .....................................................31Appendix 2 Australian Bin Standards ..............................................................................................................32


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IntroductionIn 2006 Sutherland Shire Council had approximately 210,000 residents and 80,000 households. More than 139,000 weekly services including garbage, green waste and recycling collections are provided to residents through the council’s inhouse waste service. Every week thousands of public place bins are emptied and parks, footpaths and streets are cleaned. Stable and long term employment of operations staff has ensured that employees are familiar with their routes resulting in low contamination and responsive to issues resulting in high customer satisfaction.

During 2006/07 a total of 98,314 tonnes of domestic waste was produced, totalling 457kg per resident per year. Over the past five years the waste stream proportions have stayed reasonably constant at 50.2% garbage to landfill 29.1% co-mingled recycling and 20.2% green waste recycling and 0.5% green waste and whitegoods recovered through the clean-up collections.

The waste hierarchy, Figure 1, is the underlying principle used for Sutherland Shire Council’s waste services. The existing waste contracts, with Pioneer Waste Management and Visy Recycling, include clauses that focus on delivering waste avoidance, reduction and recycling as a priority. To move Sutherland Shire Council’s waste treatment further up the waste hierarchy resource recovery options, to recover more waste through energy recovery, composting or reprocessing of waste, are being considered.

Figure 1 - Waste Hierarchy

Expected waste disposal costs for 2010-11 will reach $160 per tonne in the Sydney Metropolitan area due to rises in the waste levy charged by the EPA (up to $56 per tonne) and inflation. Recycling and green waste processing are exempt from the landfill levy, as market prices for these materials increase the gate fee decreases. This rising waste levy encourages diversion from landfill and provides more incentive to progress up the waste hierarchy.

Vision A low waste future with best practice waste treatment. Cleaner healthier waterways, beaches, wetlands and parks with cleaner stormwater run-off.

Objectives Maintain clean toilets, streets, footpaths, parks and town centres. Ensure cost effective and convenient waste collection services which encourage high waste

diversion from landfill. Deliver awareness programs to encourage waste minimisation and increased participation in

Council’s waste services. Determine a sustainable solution for resource recovery. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from improved waste management practices. To increase recovery and use of material from council’s commercial waste to 63%; and increase

recovery and use of materials from the construction and demolition operations to 76%.


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Shire CharacteristicsThere are a number of characteristics that affect waste collection and awareness programs in the Shire. The Shire is the largest of all Sydney’s Councils by land area. It has a total area of 340 square kilometres including four national parks and eleven kilometres of beaches. 170 square kilometres is developed area. In some areas such as Bundeena, Maianbar and Woronora River residents are quite isolated and have special requirements for waste services. The large range of public places creates a challenge for controlling litter and illegal dumping.

There are 23,000 businesses, 95% of which employ five or less people and may be home based businesses. 75% of the labour force are employed in white collar occupations and 13% are employed in trade occupations. 75% of jobs available locally are filled by Shire residents. This indicates the need for waste services to integrate with local businesses to provide affordable and consistent services so that waste minimisation practices can be carried from home to work.

The level of education in the Shire, and the growing population of residents from non- English speaking backgrounds will influence awareness messages and media. 30% of residents are attending a formal education institution. 10% of residents speak a language other than English at home, 5% of Sutherland’s population speak very limited English.

Links to other strategiesThis waste management plan is influenced by a large number of federal, state, regional and local initiatives that are constantly evolving. A flow chart of these organisations and policies is provided in Appendix 1 as context for the role Sutherland Shire Council play in waste management. Additional organisations involved in litter management include Clean Up Australia Foundation, Keep Australia Beautiful Council, Department of Environment and Climate Change and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Department of Environment and Heritage - DEH (Federal)It is the federal DEH’s role to reduce waste by encouraging material efficiency; reduction in the generation of waste; and enabling the recovery and reuse of discarded material. DEH are initially addressing these issues in the following broad sectors: automotive waste (including tyres); oil recycling; the plastics industry; the electrical industry’ and all industries within the packaging chain.

The National Packaging Covenant –NPC (Federal)The NPC was first launched in 1999 to provide more effective management of used packaging based on the principles of ‘shared responsibility’ and ‘product stewardship’. It is a voluntary co-regulatory arrangement between key stakeholders in the packaging supply chain and all spheres of government – Australian, state, territory and local.

In 2005, the Covenant was revised and strengthened for a term of five years. It commits signatories to a national recycling target of 65% for packaging, and no further increases in packaging waste disposed to landfill by 2010. Some examples of signatories include federal, state and local government, industry associations such as ACOR, Packaging Stewardship Forum and the Australian Retailers Association, as well as retail industry groups including 3M, Coca-Cola, Australia Post, Hewlett Packard and McDonalds.

The Department of Environment and Climate Change (State)In 2001, the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act (2001) dissolved the former Waste Boards and replaced them with Resource NSW. Resource NSW produced the NSW Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery (WARR) Strategy in 2003, which set non-mandatory waste reduction and recovery targets for state and local governments. In 2003 Resource NSW amalgamated with Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC). The DECC administers programs to reach the targets establish in the WARR strategy.

The WARR ActThe WARR Act (2001) aims to encourage the efficient use of resources and reduce environmental harm, in accordance with the principles of environmentally sustainable development. The main achievement of this legislation was to provide the framework for the development of a WARR Strategy.


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The Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2003The WARR Strategy provides a framework to encourage better use of resources and to reduce waste. It establishes where we are now, and where we want to be in the future. The strategy contains four non-mandatory targets to be achieved by 2014. These targets are:

1. Preventing and avoiding waste: To hold at current levels the total waste generated for the next five years.

2. Increasing recovery and use of secondary resources: Increase recovery and utilisation of materials from the municipal sector from the current

26% to 66%. Increase recovery and utilisation of materials from the commercial and industrial sectors

from the current 28% to 63%. Increase recovery and utilisation of materials from the construction and demolition

sectors from the current 65% to 76%.3. Reducing toxic substances in products and materials:

Phase out priority substances in identified products as a first choice, or if not possible to achieve maximum recovery for reuse, and

Where identified products containing these priority substances require disposal as a last resort, the permitted ‘leachability’ of the substances will be reduced to the levels permitted for inert waste.

4. Reducing litter and illegal dumping: Reduce total volume and tonnages of litter reported annually. Reduce the total tonnages of illegally dumped material reported annually by regulatory

agencies and regional illegal dumping squads.

Protection of the Environment Operations Act, 1997The Council Regulation and Enforcement Unit Officers have powers under this Act to penalise and prosecute offenders for littering and illegal dumping. In 2001 the Protection of the Environment Operations Act, 1997 (POEO Act) was amended to allow for stronger but more flexible and enforceable anti-litter provisions:

a single fine for littering has been replaced with a tiered range of fines o $60 for littering with small items, such as bottle tops and cigarette butts (excluding lit

cigarettes),o $200 for general littering, and for littering from vehicles, o $375 for aggravated littering which threatens public safety or the environment, such as

intentionally breaking glass, littering on private land is better regulated; it is illegal for advertising material to be placed under car windscreen wipers, on property gates or

fences, and other inappropriate areas where it has the potential to become litter.

In relation to illegal dumping the POEO Act: Defines ‘waste’, Identifies responsibilities for regulating waste, Provides a range of tools to regulate waste, including environment protection licences, clean-up

notices, cost compliance notices and prevention notices, Contains relevant offences: for example, it is an offence to unlawfully transport or dispose of

waste. It is also an offence to breach the conditions of an environment protection licence or fail to comply with a clean-up notice or prevention notice.

There are a number of penalties ranging from an on the spot penalty of $750 to $250,000 for individuals that illegally dump to a million dollars plus clean up penalties for corporations illegally dumping and harming the environment.

Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils –SSROC (Regional)The SSROC Waste Management Group undertake projects and programs that allow member councils to maximise their effectiveness in managing waste in the region. Working groups focus on issues relating to:

Resource Recovery (Alternative Waste Treatment) Options Regional Recycling Initiatives Waste Education and the Development and implementation of a Regional Waste Strategy


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Council policies and strategiesWithin the Sutherland Shire Council there are a number of policy documents that affect the implementation of the Local Waste Management Plan. The strategic plan, Our Shire, Our Future, has recently been reviewed to outline the Shire’s priorities for the next 25 years.

The key direction for waste is: A low waste future – avoid, reuse and recycle- with best practice waste disposal. The strategic outcomes are:

minimisation of waste production through changed consumption habits improved processing and disposal of waste generated.

This direction and the proposed outcomes are linked to the actions outlined in this plan.

For cleansing the key direction is ‘cleaner healthier waterways, beaches, wetlands and parks’. In the Strategic Plan there are no specific policies or strategic objectives relating to litter management, public place and street cleansing.

Council policy documents relating to the Local Waste Management Plan include:Our Shire Our Future Strategic direction for Shaping the Shire to 2030.

Containing 3 principal activities of people, place and nature.The Sutherland Shire Council Management Plan, Annual Report and State of the Environment Report

Outlines the most up to date statistics and progress in implementing the Local Waste Management Plan. The Annual Management Plan sets the budget and priorities for the following three years.

Environmental Strategy(being developed)

An environmental strategy that sets targets and links all Council units environmental initiatives.

Our Climate Change Action Plan (being developed)

This stems from the Cities for Climate Protection program and outlines specific actions to be taken by council to reduce our greenhouse gas impacts.

Waste Services Marketing Plan

An annual action plan outlining specific awareness, education and behaviour change initiatives and budgets relating to waste.

Domestic Waste Collection Service Policy(under review)

Outlines the service standards and services provided to residents as part of their regular garbage service charge.

Bin Contamination Policy(under review)

Contains the definition of contamination in green waste and co-mingled recycling bins. It also includes the process of communicating and intervening with properties where contamination is occurring.

Clean up Collection Service Policy

Outlines the service standards and requirements for the twice-yearly clean up.

Local Orders Policy 2006 Implemented by REU to maintain street amenity for example by enforcing against people leaving their bins on the street. Available on www.sutherland.nsw.gov.au

Development Control Plan, Environmental Specification – Waste(being developed)

This policy is used by the Planning Department for any new developments or major renovations. It outlines the requirements for managing waste appropriately on and off site and the considerations for waste management once the development is complete ie adequate property access and bin storage.

Waste Reduction and Purchasing Plan(being developed)

The Waste Reduction and Purchasing Plan is a State Government initiative to encourage Government organisations to reduce their own waste and purchase sustainable products. Local governments have adopted voluntary initiatives, such as the LGSA Sustainable Choice program. Sutherland Shire Council has developed a draft Waste Reduction and Purchasing Policy outlining actions for council to take to reduce waste and increase sustainable procurement.

Bin Siting Policy(being developed)

Guidelines for the appropriate placement of public place bins


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TargetsSutherland Shire Council will work towards the household waste targets outlined in the DECC Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy, that is:

To hold at current levels the total waste generated for the next five years, Divert 66% of waste from landfill by 2014, Reduce total volume and tonnage of litter reported annually, Reduce the total tonnages of illegally dumped material reported annually, Improve cleanliness of local toilets rating to a customer satisfaction level of 7.0, and Improve appearance of the Shire’s suburbs customer satisfaction rating to 7.5.

Other program specific actions and targets are outlined in the implementation plan, Section 14.

Litter & waste streams and characteristics

There have been no specific litter audits in Sutherland Shire Council however Keep Australia Beautiful, Clean Up Australia and Department of Environment and Climate Change both carry out regular litter audits across New South Wales. The litter composition results are generally consistent with cigarette butts being the highest item by both volume and weight. Paper, plastic bags and containers are consistently high volume items. Results from NSW studies show that litter is gradually increasing.

Diagram 1 Composition of Litter in NSW by volume

Source: NSW Litter Report 2006, Department of Environment and Climate Change.

There have been a number of behavioural studies about litter, what leads people to litter, how far people are prepared to carry litter before they dump it etc. Some of this research has been used to develop a draft bin siting policy and could be used to inform the development of targeted education programs to reduce litter.

In 2005 a comprehensive household waste audit was carried out for Sutherland Shire Council and the other SSROC councils. An updated waste audit is due to be completed by November 2008. The only significant change in collection since 2005 is the inclusion of a wider range of plastics for recycling.

Diagram 2 outlines the basic waste composition of the three collection bins. Contamination levels in both the green waste and co-mingled recycling bins continue to be low.


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Diagram 2 Composition of Sutherland’s Waste based on 2005 Waste Audit (APrince Consulting)

Garbage

Green waste Recycling


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Diagram 3 indicates the significant increase in diversion from landfill since the green waste collection was implemented in 2000. The amount of green waste collected has fluctuated as a result of the drought and other environmental conditions.

Action: 1. Carry out a comprehensive waste audit every 2.5- 3 years to use as a guide for effectiveness of

waste collection and education programs.

Waste avoidance and reduction

Sutherland Shire Council has adopted a number of infrastructure, policy and education initiatives to encourage reduction of waste to landfill.

Infrastructure: Restricting households to 120 litres garbage capacity Provision of up to two 240 litre recycling and green waste bins per household Free woodchipping service Subsidised composters and worm farms

Policy Cost for additional garbage capacity Lobbying for extended producer responsibility

Education Promotion of Avoid, Reuse, Recycle, Recover Enviro-Works Courses Promotion of no junk mail stickers, no plastic bags and sustainable purchasing.

Councils can raise awareness and encourage residents to reduce their waste however industry is also responsible for reducing packaging, designing products for remanufacture and recycling and to fund collection services for their products. Sutherland Shire Council, through the SSROC will continue to lobby Government to adopt legislation for convenient extended producer responsibility initiatives particularly for packaging, e-waste and household hazardous wastes.

Action: 2. Sutherland Shire Council, through the SSROC will continue to lobby Government to adopt

legislation for convenient extended producer responsibility initiatives.


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0.00

50.00

100.00

150.00

200.00

250.00

300.00

350.00

400.00

450.00

500.00

Kg/per capita

Greenwaste 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.32 28.71 98.55 102.91 106.63 98.45 94.18595562 95.2929 89.33523364 98.08579795

Comingled 68.82 70.24 73.92 81.07 90.10 107.60 111.69 120.49 121.73 125.4524898 123.9466627 126.2038195 130.8341229

Kgs to Landfill 306.40 327.32 329.85 315.09 295.74 225.40 224.03 215.68 223.00 216.151638 225.5828646 218.7936927 226.3479829

1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007

Fully co-mingled service commencedApril 2001

Diagram 3 Sutherland Shire Council tonnage by bin type


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Enviro-WorksSutherland Shire Council assisted in the development of the Earthworks program in 1999 and continued to run it for the past 8 years. These courses were quite popular but a review was carried out with residents who agreed that there was a need to update and broaden the course content. Enviro-Works

now covers a broader range of sustainability topics including ecological footprint, lifecycle analysis, detoxing your home, energy and water efficiency. The traditional waste related topics including composting, worm farming, waste reduction, recycling, buying recycled and visits to the landfill and materials recovery facility are still included in the course. The course is faster paced and has received very positive feedback from residents.

Short courses are available for up to three hours. A longer course that provides all the topics previously listed runs over five weeks including two practical sessions. Residents are offered discounted products such as compost bins and worm farms to implement the practices they have learnt in the course at home. The products and surveys are useful monitoring tools to evaluate the impact of the courses.

The Enviro-Works program meets the Shire’s principal directions of a low waste future, a learning community and a healthy and active community.

Many of the Enviro-Works courses are held at the Community Garden/ Sustainability House on Rawson Avenue in Sutherland. This facility is currently underutilised.

Action: 3. Continue to run free Enviro-Works courses and monitor benefits4. Consider options for improving use of the community garden and council nursery

Schools programsThere are 81 schools in Sutherland Shire Council comprising of 58 primary schools and 23 high schools. A regular newsletter is sent to schools informing them of Council activities. Local schools continue to request that Council provide presentations, resources, grant funding support and support at school events. Currently minimal council resources are allocated to schools environmental education.

There is an excellent opportunity to engage students who will take messages home and carry forward good environmental practices into the future. Programs for schools and students should be integrated with all Council messages and be curriculum linked. Current students are future council residents and ratepayers, there is benefit in them understanding the environmental values and services in the Shire.

The Department of Environment and Climate Change and Department of Education and Training have recently launched a sustainable schools website. Under the Environmental Education Policy each school is required to implement a Schools Environmental Management Plan. These plans outline how schools are adopting environmental initiatives in their classrooms, grounds, policies and resources. Schools are encouraged to contact Councils for support in developing and implementing their plans. Currently Sutherland Shire Council is not adequately resourced to do this.

Actions:5. Employ a staff member to provide support to schools including the following:

o Investigate the feasibility of developing Enviro-Works for schools as a curriculum linked resource and training package.

o Support schools with developing and implementing their Schools Environmental Management Plans.

o Act as a contact point for all schools requiring information or support from Council to ensure resources are effectively utilised by the schools and community.

o Run school activities for Schools Clean Up Australia Day, World Environment Day, National Recycling Week etc.


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Domestic recycling and waste servicesSince 2001 all residents in Sutherland Shire Council have had a three stream waste collection including:

garbage - red-lid bin; green waste (not including food) –green-lid bin; co-mingled recycling – yellow-lid bin;

In addition households are provided with two household clean up services per year; and 20 free wood chipping services for large household branches.

Service frequency and containers are tailored to the requirements of different property types.

Property type Garbage container and frequency

Green waste Co-mingled recycling

Single occupancy(Garbage Service Regular)

1x 120lt serviced weekly

Up to 2 x 240lt serviced fortnightly

Up to 2 x 240lt serviced fortnightly

Multi-occupancy*(Garbage Service Shared)

1 x 240lt shared bin between 2 dwellings serviced weekly

1 x 240lt shared bin between 2 dwellings serviced fortnightly

1 x 240lt shared bin between 2 dwellings serviced fortnightly

*Special service arrangements are sometimes made with strata managers/ body corporates of multi-occupancy dwellings. A bin matrix guide, up to date detail and more information on service specifications are available in the draft Domestic Waste Collection Service Policy.

In 2006/07 over 55,000 240lt square mobile garbage bins were rolled out to replace the round collection bins. The DECC is encouraging all councils to move towards the Australian Standards for bin colours and markings as outlined in Appendix 2. This is to improve public awareness and service consistency. The standard bin colours are similar to those already used by Sutherland Shire Council domestic waste collection services, however the green waste bins will need to change to lime green lids.

No one other than Council waste collectors or contracted operators are authorised to collect council waste.

Actions: 6. New & replacement bins will conform with the Australian Standard 4123 for Mobile Waste

Containers Part 7. 7. As appropriate run awareness campaigns to promote any proposed changes to service provision.

Garbage collectionPutrescible waste collected from the council is taken to Lucas Heights Waste and Recycling Centre. The Lucas Heights facility is currently owned by WSN Environmental Services and operated by Cleary Brothers. Sutherland Shire Council has a contract with WSN Environmental Services to take the garbage at Lucas Heights until 2010. Long term waste treatment options are discussed further in section 11.

Residents should be placing all non-recyclable/ non-compostable household materials in their red-lid bin including:

Heat proof glass, ceramics Small quantities of polystyrene foam Plastic films (bread bags, cling wrap, non-container plastics)

The limit of 100 to 120lt capacity per household has been challenging for many households, particularly those with large families. Additional garbage capacity is available to residents at a cost to offset the real cost of disposing of this additional waste.

Action: 8. Review additional garbage capacity policy in the Domestic Waste Collection Service Policy.


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Co-mingled recyclingYellow-lid co-mingled recycling bins (240litre) were introduced across the whole council in April 2001. Recycling materials collected by the council are taken to the Visy Recycling materials recovery facility at Taren Point. Visy Recycling are contracted to take Sutherland Shire Council’s co-mingled recyclables until 2011.

The following materials are currently accepted and recycled: steel cans and aerosols, aluminium cans and clean foil, glass bottles and jars– green, amber and clear. all plastic bottles, tubs and jars (note no polystyrene foam) liquid paperboard cartons (milk and juice cartons), newspaper, magazines and hard cover books, crushed cardboard boxes, other non-food contaminated papers.

Plastic containers code 4, 6 and 7 are the most recent addition to the materials that are collected for recycling. These materials are subject to change and only the current waste management booklet is deemed to be correct.

Action: 9. Review and re-tender co-mingled recycling contract.

Garden waste recyclingThe garden waste collection service has been fully operational since June 1999. The material is taken to the Lucas Heights Waste and Recycling Centre where it is processed to Australian Standards into compost, potting mix or mulch. Some of the compost is being used by WSN Environmental Services to remediate the landfill the rest is provided to an onsite landscaping company. Council’s green waste processing is currently not under contract.

The following materials are accepted in the council green waste bin: flower cuttings and weeds, lawn clippings, prunings, small sticks and branches and leaves.

All material should be no longer than one metre in length and no thicker than a broom handle.

Sutherland Shire Council is not considering the feasibility of a separate food waste collection however as part of the resource recovery options food waste processing may be considered.

As indicated in Section 2, waste composition, the green waste has a very low contamination rate and is therefore a high grade market product that WSN Environmental Solutions currently onsell to landscapers therefore council receives no direct benefit from this material.

Action: 10. Review current garden waste processing options to investigate more cost effective alternatives.


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Woodchipping serviceCouncil offers a free domestic woodchipping service for Shire residents on approximately 20 Saturdays during daylight saving months each year. Council’s Parks Operations Unit establish two temporary mulching sites. The annual waste management booklet contains service dates and collection points. For 5 years the collection points have been:

Engadine – corner of Kingswood road and Lantana road and Miranda – corner of Sylvania Road and The Kingsway

There was originally a collection site in Bangor which was discontinued. Proposed developments at the Engadine site may result in the need to establish a new alternative site.

Residents are asked to bring any tree cuttings from their gardens which are longer than one metre and no thicker than 200mm in diameter.

Each year over 1500 vehicles use this service. The mulch is available for residents to take away for reuse in their gardens. This service is not available for use by commercial operators or commercial vehicles. Residents are asked to provide a current Sutherland Shire Council rate notice to gain access to the service. Permission to remove or lop trees needs to be granted by Council.

Actions: 11. Continue to provide the free woodchipping service for residents.12. Review site locations and determine a feasible replacement site for Engadine and Menai.

Twice yearly clean-up collectionAll households in the Shire receive a twice yearly clean-up collection. Prior to 2006 the majority of the materials collected from clean-up were disposed of to landfill. Since 2006 the materials from the clean-up are sorted by Pioneer Waste Management at their Taren Point facility. Materials such as mattresses, cardboard, wood, electronic goods, metals, green waste and carpet are all separated for recycling. The contract with Pioneer Waste Management is until 2014.

The following materials are collected during clean-up: furniture and white goods, mattresses, branches,

fence pailings, carpet, appliances and other unwanted household goods.

These materials are subject to change and only the current clean-up notification is deemed to be correct.

Actions:13. Continue to provide the twice yearly clean up service to all households and consider the

feasibility of adding a separate cardboard collection service.

Woronora River barge serviceThere are 66 properties in the Shire that are only accessible by water on the Woronora River. These properties receive a weekly collection, by barge, of garbage using 2 x 55 litre bags. Equivalent of 240 litres of capacity for garden waste and co-mingled recyclable materials are collected fortnightly on alternate weeks.

Woronora River residents also receive a twice yearly clean up service. Residents are required to bring materials for the clean up service on a designated date / time to the collection vehicle at Woronora River Boat Ramp. These services have been in operation for over 5 years. The most recent service information is outlined in the Domestic Waste Collection Service policy.

Action: 14. Continue to provide the barge service to Woronora River residents.


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Household hazardous wastesHazardous wastes in the domestic bins or twice yearly collections continue to pose a risk to staff involved in waste handling. The Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW schedules Household Chemical Clean-outs that operate across Sydney. The service accepts household quantities of the following materials:

paint, poisons, acids, pesticides and herbicides, fluorescent tubes, gas bottles, fire extinguishers, motor oil, car batteries, fuels, pool cleaners, and hobby chemicals.

Since 2006 a collection has been held in Sutherland at the carpark of the Bellingara netball complex, on the corner of Bellingara Rd and Box Rd Miranda. Prior to this the collection was held at the sullage depot in Kareela. The 2006 Household Chemical Clean Out in Miranda was the largest in Australia with over 2400 cars and 75 tonnes of material.

This is an important service for reducing hazardous material being placed in landfill creating toxic leachate and removing the potential hazards of this material such as potential explosion risks, spilt paint and handling risks.

Action: 15. Sutherland Shire Council will continue to work with the Department of Environment and Climate

Change to locate an appropriate collection point and promote the Household Chemical Clean-out to residents.

Illegal dumping

Over 1300 illegal dumping enquiries/reports are received by Council each year about one quarter are related to multi-occupancies. In addition 757 abandoned vehicle reports and 30 Penalty Infringement Notices issued for ‘abandoning a motor vehicle in a public place’ were issued in 2006/07.

Illegal dumping is costing Sutherland Shire Council approximately $300,000/ year. There are two types of illegal dumping behaviour

1. Residents dumping household goods inappropriately in residential areas (eg in or next to public place litter bins, early placement of twice yearly clean up material, residents moving and dumping materials on the kerb, overflowing clothing bins and bin bays).

2. Businesses dumping commercial waste (including green waste, building rubble and general waste) to avoid tipping fees, most commonly in bushland or isolated areas.

Group 1 are often ‘one off’ offenders that are not aware that their behaviour is illegal, have not taken the time to look into more suitable disposal alternatives. DECC research has shown that this type of illegal dumping is particularly significant in areas of high density1. Compared to many other Sydney councils Sutherland Shire Council does not have a significant illegal dumping problem. However, due to the increasing number of multi unit dwellings this will become more of an issue and is still a resource strain on the Council’s Regulation and Enforcement Unit.

1 NSW DECC ‘An Assessment of Attitudes and Behaviours Amongst Multi-Unit Dwelling Residents in Relation to Illegal Dumping’ 2003.


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Interventions for this group include continuing to investigate reported dumps, providing information on appropriate disposal methods, continuing to provide the twice yearly cleanup for people to easily dispose of unwanted household goods. Some dumping in public place bins may result from inadequate residential garbage capacity.

Group 2 are generally repeat offenders who believe the risks of getting caught are low and the cost of paying a one off fine is ultimately less than the ongoing tipping fees their business would be required to pay.

Interventions for this group involve frequent spontaneous crackdowns on illegal dumping hotspots to increase the deterrent to offenders and for penalties to outweigh the benefits of continuing to offend.

Some charity clothing bins attract dumping, especially those that are not emptied frequently. The location of these bins and agreements with the charities/private operators should be reviewed.

Action: 16. Council will continue to investigate illegal dumping incidents.17. Waste Services Unit will continue to work closely with the Regulation & Enforcement Unit to

reduce illegal dumping in the Shire.18. Investigate the feasibility of an on call clean up service as part of the business waste service

review.19. Review the location of clothing bins and agreements with charities.

LitterOver 4000 tonnes of waste is being collected annually from public bins throughout parks, ovals and near walkways in the Shire. Litter management is costing council over $1 million/year (staff, vehicles tipping fees and materials costs). There is a team of staff and dedicated vehicles that maintain the cleanliness of the Shire’s streets reducing pollution and outflow into stormwater drains.

An on call service is provided for removal of potentially dangerous items such as needles, broken glass and for dead animals.

There have been a number of behavioural studies about litter, what leads people to litter, how far are they prepared to carry litter before they dump it etc. Some of this research could be used to assess the appropriate siting of bins.

The Community Satisfaction ratings indicate that the appearance of the Shire’s suburbs is not meeting the public satisfaction requirements. It is proposed that Sutherland Shire Council, and SSROC, participate in Keep Australia Beautiful’s annual litter index which samples a large range of areas, including parks, beachfront, waterways, town centres and streets, twice a year to determine the extent of littering in the Shire and performance year on year.

Any program designed to minimise littering must include an integrated approach including education, regulatory and enforcement strategies, financial incentives and infrastructure provision. Currently Regulation and Enforcement Unit and Environmental Health Regulation Unit investigate and enforce penalties where litter or illegal dumping offences occur. Education campaigns and resources are primarily provided by Clean Up Australia, Department of Environment and Conservation and Keep Australia Beautiful. There is a small amount of localised promotion each year.

Organisations such as the Butt Littering Trust provided funding as part of their extended producer responsibility obligations to reduce litter. Funding opportunities could be investigated to assist in council litter management.

Actions: 20. Increase promotion of litter reduction21. Determine opportunities to work with SSROC and Keep Australia Beautiful to undertake annual

litter index research22. Employ casual staff to assist as litter pickers for summer months in high profile parks.


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Street litter bins (B-tidy bins)Permanent and mobile bin stations are located in town centres, public places and parks. These bins are emptied frequently to avoid material overflowing or being spread by vermin. A draft bin siting policy has been developed to provide guidance on appropriate siting of public place bins. Illegal dumping from businesses and residents result in street litter bins needing to be serviced more frequently than if only day to day litter was placed in them. Cockatoos are a particular problem from overflowing public place and residential bins. Rain in the bins also affects collection.

Recently bins in Gymea town centre were upgraded. The new enclosed bins are larger in capacity, reduce vandalism and are more difficult for birds and other pests to access. Rain guards should also be considered for upgraded bins to reduce odours, pests and water logging. It is proposed that similar upgrades occur in other town centres and high profile parks where rain, vandalism, overfilling, illegal dumping and pests are also a problem. The initial infrastructure cost may be high but the reduced servicing and replacement requirements, in addition to the improved street amenity make this a worthwhile investment.

Actions: 23. Ensure new services and replacement public place garbage & recycling bins meet the AS4123

standards (as outlined in Appendix 2).24. Develop a schedule and resources for upgrading bins in town centres and high profile parks.25. Review placement and servicing frequency of public litter bins26. Identify public place bin illegal dumping hotspots & investigate options for reducing occurrences

Street and footpath sweepingCouncil conducts a comprehensive street sweeping program of all streets throughout the Shire to remove organic material and sediment which could be washed into waterways. This plays an important role in reducing blockages in stormwater systems, reducing litter and pollution in stormwater run-off and keeping the streets safe and clean. The street sweepings are mixed with other organic materials and processed into compost and used for site remediation. Litter resulting from the inadequate capacity of town centre bins, and birds spreading litter, could be prevented through an upgrade of some public place bins.

Action:27. Investigate resource recovery options for street sweepings (linked to action 10) 28. Consider stormwater education initiatives linked to the school and other community education

programs

Park & sporting facility cleansingHigh profile parks in the Shire are cleaned by litter pickers on a regular rotation. Beach cleansing is currently carried out by the Beach Operations Unit. Some bushland areas are cleaned by the Bushcare volunteers, reducing pressure on staff.

A number of sporting venues have requested additional rubbish and or recycling facilities however vandalism and misuse of bins at these locations has been an issue, as the bins are only required for a short period of time and then go unused for the rest of the week. Caging bins at these facilities for use only when sporting events are on has been successful. Due to the cost and number of sporting facilities the bin cages are being rolled out gradually. Once the bin cages are in place recycling options can be considered.

There are a number of bins in parks, along waterways and footpaths that are not currently secured. To reduce vandalism and misuse of these bins options for securing them should be considered.

A sand cleaner is used by Council’s Buildings Works Unit to clean the playgrounds and remove items such as glass or cigarette butts that get covered by sand.

Actions29. Continue roll out of bin enclosures at sporting fields.30. Identify where there are unsecured public place bins and investigate options for them to be

secured.


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Public toiletsPart of the role of park maintenance has been cleaning of public toilets. There are 102 public toilets in the Shire that are on a rotating roster for cleaning. There are some toilets in high use and high profile areas such as beach fronts and parks. Others are in more isolated areas. Lockable doors have been installed on some of the higher use facilities however there are some on the beachfront and in parks that can not be locked. These attract vandalism and are difficult to keep clean.

Many of the toilet facilities are very old and in need of repair or replacement. The age of the toilets gives the perception that they are unclean even when they have been thoroughly cleaned. Anecdotal comments from some staff and the public are that newer toilet facilities are not comfortable because they are unisex and due to the stainless steel surfaces. However the stainless steel surfaces are easier to clean. All of these issues contribute to the lower score in the ‘Cleanliness of toilets’ rating in the Customer Satisfaction Survey.

Actions: 31. Place gates on high use/ high profile toilets to reduce vandalism32. Upgrade old toilet facilities and review stainless steel seats33. Assess public satisfaction with new unisex, stainless steel toilet design to see if this is affecting

public satisfaction survey results

Public place recyclingPublic place recycling has been in the Cronulla Mall since 2004. Delivering effective public place recycling is challenging however it is seen as an important initiative to reflect the messages that householders receive in their homes ie: If it is not important enough to recycle all the time then why recycle at all?

Household recycling contamination levels are very low. Public place recycling contamination is a significant issue due to people putting food contaminated waste, partially full drink bottles and non-recyclable packaging into the recycling bins. Only small quantities of quality recyclables are recovered from most public place bins.

If a comprehensive program is implemented with appropriate siting of recycling bins, clear signage and rubbish bins next to the recycling bins, then public place recycling can work. In 2005 the DECC produced a ‘Better Practice Guide for Public Place Recycling’. The principles in this guide will be used to trial effective public place recycling.

Actions:34. Rollout bins with stamps to distinguish park bins from domestic waste bins. 35. Trial appropriate public place recycling sites


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Clean Up Australia DayThe national not-for-profit organisation Clean Up Australia organises a Clean Up Day for businesses, schools and the community each year in March. Groups are supplied with bags, gloves and sharps containers to assist with the clean up. Sutherland Shire Council promotes local sites, liaises with site coordinators providing them with support and Council also picks up the waste from the Clean Up sites.

In Sutherland approximately 25 schools participate in the Clean Up Schools Day. Over 35 community sites operate on Clean Up Australia Day.

Actions36. Continue to support Clean Up Australia Day and try to

increase number of volunteers participating

Littering from carsCouncil’s Regulation and Enforcement Unit Officers, and Environmental Regulation and Health Unit are able to issue penalties to owners of vehicles where litter is seen to be thrown from cars. Currently this is not widely promoted however there are opportunities to promote this through the council website, local media and events.

Actions37. Promote reporting of littering from cars and increase use of online litter reporting

Other waste

The following materials are currently not collected as part of the council domestic waste collection service.

Building materials – bricks, wall, roof and floor tiles, sawdust, sand; Concrete & timber; Large quantities of polystyrene foam; Electrical items – computers, mobile phones, tv’s; Printer and fax cartridges; Large steel products; Laminated and window glass; Tyres; Railway sleepers, cast iron baths, roller doors; Old cars; Asbestos, fibreglass sheeting; and Tree stumps, palm fronds or other spiky or thorny materials.

Residents are provided with information on preferred alternative methods of disposal through the annual waste management booklet, phoning the council or the Planet Ark Recycling Near You hotline. Until there is funding available from the producers of these problematic wastes Sutherland Shire Council will not organise separate collections for these materials.

The Federal Department of Environment and Heritage and NSW DECC are targeting some of these wastes through extended producer responsibility initiatives.

Policy: 38. Investigate alternative collection options for problematic waste and where possible recover costs

from manufacturers.


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Commercial and industrial wasteSince 1996 Sutherland Shire Council has delivered a business waste service to meet the needs of small businesses in the community. The demand for this service has continued to grow and expand into recycling.

Council currently delivers a commercial waste service to over 1000 businesses in the Shire. This user pays service is run efficiently as council vehicles are already on the road in these areas and it is viable to collect waste from small businesses in a cost effective way for both the businesses and the council.

Currently the business waste bins have different coloured lids and bodies to the household bins. Recognising that many local business owners and employees are also residents consistency in bin types is important to reduce contamination and increase recovery rates.

Actions: 39. Carry out a review of the business waste service to establish viability of expanding this service

and ways to make it operate more efficiently40. Ensure new & replacement business waste bins meet the AS4123 standards (as outlined in

Appendix 2) 41. Establish bin stickers and markings to distinguish business from domestic bins.

Construction and demolition wasteApproximately 65% of construction and demolition (C&D) waste is made up of soil, rubble, concrete based materials and clay which can all be recycled. Excavated material can be used as fill, crushed concrete at as aggregate road base and bricks can be cleaned and reused or crushed and used as fill/bedding material. National figures indicate that approximately 60% of waste going to landfill is construction and demolition waste.

The Department of Environment and Climate Change is producing a Construction and Demolition Waste Strategy. Sutherland Shire Council assisted with a waste audit of local C&D sites. The survey showed that most organisations knew the correct procedures for separating and recovering C&D material and were disposing of the material correctly.

Separated construction and demolition waste is accepted for reuse at the Lucas Heights Waste and Recycling Centre and at the Kurnell Landfill.

Sutherland Shire Council does not provide a collection service for C&D waste. Guidance on appropriate management of construction and demolition waste is provided in the Sutherland Shire Council Development Control Plan – Waste Management Requirements 2006. For household quantities residents are encouraged to take material to Pioneer Waste management or one of the landfill sites.

Actions: 42. Continue to provide information to organisations that require advice on correct separation and

treatment of C&D waste. 43. Develop relevant case studies on how to reduce and recover C&D waste

AsbestosResidents or businesses with asbestos are required to contact a licensed professional to remove and handle asbestos. If properly sealed asbestos can be disposed of at the Lucas Heights Waste and Recycling Centre – a specific asbestos disposal charge is applied. WSN Environmental Solutions should be contacted prior to the material being dropped off. Developers are required to identify asbestos in Development Applications; documentation is required to indicate that the asbestos is disposed of correctly.


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Medical waste collectionSutherland Shire Council does not run any medical waste collections. Currently a limited quantity of nappies, sanitary products and incontinence pads can be placed in the normal garbage bin. Residents in home nursing, care homes or disability support centres that have a high volumes of medical waste should arrange a special collection service.

Needle collection serviceThere is a permanent diabetic needle collection service at four community centres:

Caringbah Women’s Health and Information Centre Sutherland Shire Information & Community Service Centre Gymea Community Aid and Information Service Inc Engadine Community Aid and Information Services.

Residents bring their used needles in an appropriate container to one of the participating community centres and place their container into the needle collection bins following safety procedures.

Action: 44. Continue to promote the needle collection service through health and community organisations in

the Shire and the annual waste management booklet.45. Investigate feasibility of expanding the needle service to additional community centres

Council wasteSutherland Shire Council generates a significant amount of waste through its operations including:

Civil Operations Unit– construction and demolition waste Parks Unit - organic material Office buildings – paper, electronic waste, furniture, food waste and recyclables Workshops – chemicals, oils, paints, excessive timber and metals, vehicle parts Waste Services Unit – street cleansing, damaged bins Children’s Services Unit – nappies and foodwaste

There is already a significant amount of reuse and recycling in all of councils operations. For example construction waste has been crushed and reused as roadbase since 1990. Parks waste has been mulched or composted and reused back on parks facilities for more than 10 years. Council also has a comprehensive paper recycling program at all of its major buildings. The rubbish bins purchased by the council have 30% recycled content plastic in them.

Asbestos is occasionally identified by staff involved with construction projects. Council’s Regulatory Enforcement Unit and Waste Services Unit also occasionally get reports of dumped asbestos. Some field staff are trained to identify asbestos, a small number of Civil Operations Unit staff are trained in handling and removal of asbestos. Illegally dumped material comes under the EPA Orphan Waste program.

The council organises annual public events for Australia Day and festivals such as Jazz and Shiraz. The Waste Services Unit deliver waste and recycling collections at these events where possible. In 2007 DECC produced a Waste Wise Events Guide. The principles in this guide will be used to run effective Waste Wise events.

Leasing arrangements for vehicles, computers, photocopiers and other equipment reduces council waste by transferring the remanufacturing, on-selling or disposal of this equipment to leasing organisations. Sustainable end of life management for equipment should be considered in all tender and contract documents.

Currently other units in council are not cross charged for the waste services they received. Other services in the council, such as print shop, mechanical workshop and stores reclaim costs for services provided.


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There is still scope to do more to reduce waste through councils purchasing decisions and daily practices. The draft Waste Reduction and Purchasing Policy sets targets and outlines council waste reduction initiatives in more detail.

Action 46. Develop a comprehensive Waste Reduction and Purchasing Policy47. Set up a system to charge other council units for the waste services they receive48. Expand & promote council premises recycling facilities 49. Establish more council waste wise events

Resource recovery and waste disposal

Landfill operationsThere are two landfill facilities currently operating in the Shire. The Kurnell landfill is an inert, type 2, landfill which receives industrial and building waste such as bricks, rubble, concrete, timber and metals. The Lucas Heights Waste and Recycling Centre, operated by WSN Environmental Solutions in conjunction with Cleary Bros, receives putrescible and non-putrescible waste and recyclables from 22 council areas.

Lucas Heights Waste and Recycling CentreLucas Heights Waste and Recycling Centre consists of

Lucas Heights No 1 Small vehicle resource recovery centre Education centre Active and closed landfill cells Green waste mulching and composting Landfill gas recovery Leachate collection and treatment Nursery

Lucas Heights No 1 is the former landfill site located on New Illawarra Road and is gradually being rehabilitated to a multipurpose sporting and recreational complex. Sporting facilities including ovals, netball courts and a golf driving range have already been constructed at the site, with a golf course under construction.

Landfill gas from the Lucas Heights Waste and Recycling Centre and the Lucas Heights No 1 landfill is currently collected in gas wells located over the landfill area and used to generate electricity on site. The combustion converts methane (landfill gas also including carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen) to predominantly carbon dioxide and water. Pollutant emissions from the electricity generating plant are low. There is enough gas generated from the landfill to power 30,000 homes.

The other landfill sites within Sutherland Shire are inert and do not contain materials that produce significant quantities of methane gas.

Resource recoveryIn recent years there has been a lot of debate around the lack of appropriate landfill space available within the Sydney region. It has been reported that we will run out of landfill space in the next 10 years. As a possible solution to this issue, Resource Recovery technologies have been developed to:

Divert waste away from landfill Recover more resources from the waste stream, and Minimise the impact on the environment.

There are three Resource Recovery facilities which have the potential to accept waste for processing for the Sydney metropolitan region. These are the UR-3R facility, the Woodlawn BioReactor and Macarthur Resource Recovery Park. Some new facilities are being proposed by other councils.


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The UR-3R facility is located at Eastern Creek, and is owned and operated by WSN Environmental Solutions and Global Renewables. The facility is designed to:

Divert around 80% of waste from landfill, and Initially process 175,000 tonnes of waste a year, or up to 11% of Sydney’s household waste. Its

capacity can be expanded to 260,000 tonnes a year, or 16% of Sydney’s household waste.

The Woodlawn BioReactor was established in a disused open cut mine near Goulburn. It is a joint venture between ActewAGL and EHN Oceania. The bioreactor technology accelerates the decomposition of the residual waste and maximise the capture of biogas for conversion into green energy. The facility can accept up to 400,000 tonnes per year.

The Macarthur Resource Rover Park in Jacks Gully, south western Sydney, will process waste from Campbelltown, Camden, Wollondilly and Wingecarribee Councils for 15 years. The park is owned and operated by WSN Environmental Solutions. The ArrowBio technology is a waterbased anaerobic composting process that creates energy and a sludge that can be used for composting.

Any technology option considered for the councils waste management needs would meet the ecologically sustainable development (ESD) councils of the principle taking in to consideration the Biodiversity Strategy (1998) and Local Air Quality Management Plan (1998).

Actions:50. Continue to work with SSROC in developing a strategy and tender process for addressing

Sutherland’s long term waste disposal needs51. Develop a community engagement and awareness strategy outlining the need to consider

alternatives to the landfill and potential options

Greenhouse gas reductionCouncil has been involved with the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) program for five years. This involves annual reporting of Council’s greenhouse gas emissions. The reporting focuses on impacts directly attributable to council for example street lighting, building lighting & heating and vehicles.

The Waste Services Unit are aiming to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas impacts in line with corporate policies. Under the CCP program emissions from waste vehicles, landfill gas recovery, composting & worm farming and processing of green waste are included. However recycling and landfill impacts are currently not included, as this is not seen by the CCP program as being a direct part of Council responsibility.

Greenhouse gas impacts will be a significant consideration when SSROC tenders for resource recovery options. Siting of the facility will affect transport impacts and the waste treatment facility will produce greenhouse gases. Landfill, even with methane recovery, is seen to be one of the least preferable treatment options with regard to greenhouse gas emissions. There are a range of resource recovery options that have much smaller greenhouse gas emissions.

Table 5 provides a brief overview of activities within waste services that generate greenhouse gases.

Table 5 Greenhouse gas implications of waste servicesCarbon generating Carbon offsettingVehicle emissions Alternative fuel type (E10 & B10) and driving less fuel intensively.

Reduced transport distances by processing material in the ShireLandfill emissions Methane recoveryMRF energy emissions Savings from recycled content products reducing demand for products

made from raw material extraction. Diversion of paper from landfill reducing methane.

CO2 from aerobic composting, Green waste processing equipment impacts

Diversion of green waste from landfill reducing methane

Office energy consumption Switching off lights, timesavers on equipment, reducing use of air conditioners etc


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WSN Environmental Solutions and Hyder Consulting developed a report to evaluate the greenhouse impact of sending 50,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste to landfill using Sutherland Shire Council as an example. The greenhouse gas emissions from landfilling are 12,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This is in comparison to 25,550 tonnes of CO2e.from the council’s building, vehicle, street lighting and waste impacts.

According to Visy Recycling by recycling bottles, cans, paper, cardboard etc Sutherland Shire Council residents saved 13,900 tonnes of CO2e and by diverting green waste from landfill over 22,000 tonnes of CO2e were saved (Cities for Climate Protection ICLEI toolkit). As these are three different measuring tools these figures need to be investigated further.

Table 6 outlines the number and type of finance leased vehicles operated by Council for the Waste Service Unit. The vehicle fleet has a significant impact on greenhouse emissions; however Sutherland Shire Council has just received Clean Fleet Operator Accreditation from the Road & Traffic Authority.

Table 6 Number of vehicles in 2006/07Type of Vehicle WasteDiesel collection trucks 39Street sweepers 5Footpath sweepers 3Cars & utes 13Boat and trailer 1All terrain light vehicle 1Walk behind scrubber 1Razor back van 1Total 64

In determining Resource Recovery options greenhouse gas implications will be a major consideration.

Actions 52. Assist council staff in calculating greenhouse gas impacts for the CCP reporting 53. Carry out a study of greenhouse gas impacts from waste services and implement initiatives to

reduce these impacts.

Risk managementInherent in delivering waste services are a number of risks that may affect operations. Incidents that have occurred in the past include a major fire blocking the access road to the landfill, closures of waste facilities, industrial action, and injuries to staff, contractors or the public. These and other issues could occur in the future and an appropriate risk management plan should be developed to determine contingency options.

Occupational health and safety is paramount in all of Council’s service delivery. All new staff carry out OH&S training and are responsible for identifying and reporting risks. Employees have the authority to cease any work activity & seek guidance if they believe it is unsafe to proceed. It is the responsibility of all staff to look at opportunities to improve safe working practices and reduce risks.

Actions54. Develop a risk management plan relating to waste management55. Continuously review options for improving safe working practices

Performance monitoring and data collectionEach of the actions outlined in the implementation plan has a target and monitoring mechanism. These targets will be included in the Council’s management plan and then monitored and reported through the annual report, quarterly reports, Cities for Climate Protection Program and State of the Environment Report.


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Implementation planSect No Action Priority Responsibility 2008 2009 2010 ongoing4 1 Carry out a comprehensive waste audit every 2.5 -3 years to

use as a guide for effectiveness of waste collection and education programs.

High SSROC, Waste Manager, Waste Min Coordinator

2011

5 2 Sutherland Shire Council, through SSROC will continue to lobby Government to adopt legislation for convenient extended producer responsibility initiatives.

Low SSROC, Waste Manager, Waste Min Coordinator

5.1 3 Continue to run free Enviro-Works courses and monitor benefits Medium Waste Program Support Officer, Waste Min Coordinator

5.1 4 Consider options for improving use of the community garden and council nursery

Low Science Unit

5.2 5 Employ a staff member to provide support to schools including the following:

1.Investigate the feasibility of developing Enviro-Works for schools as a curriculum linked resource and training package 2. Support schools with developing and implementing their Schools Environmental Management Plans3. Act as a contact point for all schools requiring information or support from Council to ensure resources are effectively utilised by the schools and community.4. Run school activities for Schools Clean Up Australia Day, World Environment Day, National Recycling Week etc.

Medium Manager – Science Unit, Waste Services Unit

6 6 New & replacement domestic bins will conform with the Australian Standard 4123 for Mobile Waste Containers Part 7.

High Stores Manager, Waste Operations Controllers, Bin Maintenance Officer

6 7 As appropriate run awareness campaigns to promote any proposed changes to service provision.

Medium Waste Minimisation Officer As required

6.1 8 Review additional garbage capacity policy in the Domestic Waste Collection Service Policy.

High Waste Minimisation Coordinator, Waste Services Unit

6.2 9 Review co-mingled recycling contract. High Waste Manager, Waste Min Coordinator

6.3 10 Review current garden waste processing options to investigate more cost effective alternatives.

High Waste Manager, Group Manager Engineering Operations

6.4 11 Continue to provide the free woodchipping service Medium Parks, Waste Minimisation Officer


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6.4 12 Review site locations and determine a feasible replacement site for Engadine and Menai.

High Parks & Waterways Manager, Waste Operations Controllers

6.5 13 Continue to provide the twice yearly clean up service to all households and consider the feasibility of adding a separate cardboard collection service.

Medium Waste Operations Controllers, Waste Support Officer, Waste Min Coordinator

6.6 14 Continue to provide the barge service to Woronora River residents

Medium Waste Operations Controllers, Supervisor Parks Cleansing

6.7 15 Sutherland Shire Council will continue to work with the Department of Environment and Climate Change to locate an appropriate collection point and promote the household chemical clean-out to residents.

Medium Property Officer, Waste Minimisation Officer

7 16 Council will continue to investigate illegal dumping incidents High REU Manager, REU Team,

7 17 Waste Services Unit will continue to work closely with the Regulatory Enforcement Unit to reduce illegal dumping in the Shire.

High REU Manager, REU Team, Waste Minimisation Officer

7 18 Investigate the feasibility of an on call clean up service as part of the business waste service review.

Medium Waste Manager, Waste Minimisation Officer, Waste Operations Controllers, Business Waste Supervisor.

7 19 Review the location of clothing bins and agreements with charities.

Low Regulation & Enforcement Unit

8 20 Increase promotion of litter reduction Medium Waste Minimisation Officer, Environmental Health & Regulation, REU,

8 21 Determine opportunities to work with SSROC and Keep Australia Beautiful to undertake annual litter index research

Low Waste Minimisation Officer, SSROC

8 22 Employ casual staff to assist as litter pickers for summer months in high profile parks.

Medium Supervisor Parks Cleansing, Waste Manager

8.1 23 Ensure new services and replacement public place garbage & recycling bins meet the AS4123 standards.

Medium Stores Manager, Waste Operations Controllers, Bin Maintenance Officer

8.1 24 Develop a schedule and resources for upgrading bins in town centres and high profile parks.

Medium Supervisor Cleansing, Waste Manager & Civil Operations

8.1 25 Review placement and servicing frequency of public litter bins Medium Waste Manager, Supervisor Street Cleansing , Supervisor Cleansing

8.1 26 Identify public place bin illegal dumping hotspots & investigate options for reducing occurrences

Medium Supervisor Cleansing, REU


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8.2 27 Investigate resource recovery options for street sweepings (linked to action 10)

Low Supervisor Street Cleansing, Waste Minimisation Officer, Parks

8.2 28 Consider stormwater education initiatives linked to the school and other community education programs

Low Supervisor Street Cleansing, Science Unit, Waste Minimisation Officer

8.3 29 Continue roll out of bin enclosures at sporting fields. Medium Sport & Recreation, Supervisor Parks Cleansing

8.3 30 Identify where there are unsecured bins and investigate options for them to be secured.

Medium Supervisor Parks Cleansing, Supervisor Cleansing, Civil Operations

8.3.1 31 Place gates on high use/ high profile toilets to reduce vandalism High Supervisor Parks Cleansing, Waste Manager, Building Works

8.3.1 32 Upgrade old toilet facilities and review stainless steel seats High Property Manager, Supervisor Parks Cleansing, Building Works

8.3.1 33 Assess public satisfaction with new unisex, stainless steel toilet design to see if this is affecting public satisfaction survey results

Medium SPU

8.4 34 Rollout bins with stamps distinguishing park from household waste bins

Medium Communications, Waste Min Coordinator & Officer, Bin Maintenance Officer

8.4 35 Trial appropriate public place recycling sites Medium Supervisor Cleansing, Business Waste Supervisor, Supervisor Parks Cleansing, Waste Minimisation Officer

8.5 36 Continue to support Clean Up Australia Day and increase number of volunteers participating.

Medium Waste Minimisation Officer, Operations Controller

8.6 37 Promote reporting of littering from cars and increase use of online litter reporting.

Medium Environmental Health Unit, Waste Minimisation Officer

9 38 Investigate alternative collection options for problematic waste and where possible recover costs from manufacturers

Low Waste Minimisation Coordinator, SSROC

9.1 39 Carry out a review of the business waste service to establish viability of expanding this service and ways to make it operate more efficiently

Medium Business Waste Supervisor, Waste Manager, Group Manager Engineering Operations

9.1 40 Ensure new & replacement business waste bins meet the AS4123 standards

Medium Stores manager, Business Waste Supervisor, Bin Maintenance Officer


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9.1 41 Establish bin stickers and markings to distinguish business from domestic bins.

Medium Business Waste Supervisor, Communications, Waste Minimisation Officer

9.2 42 Continue to provide information to organisations that require advice on correct separation and treatment of C&D waste.

Low Environmental Educator, Science Unit

9.2 43 Develop relevant case studies on how to reduce and recover C&D waste

Low Environmental Educator, Science Unit

9.3 44 Continue to promote the needle collection service through health and community organisations in the Shire and the annual waste management booklet.

Medium Waste Minimisation Officer

9.3 45 Investigate feasibility of expanding the needle service to additional community centres

Low Community Services Manager, Waste Minimisation Coordinator

10 46 Develop a comprehensive Waste Reduction and Purchasing Policy

Medium Waste Minimisation Coordinator, Procurement Manager

imple-mentation

10 47 Set up a system to charge other council units for the waste services they receive

Medium Waste Manager

10 48 Expand & promote council premises recycling facilities Medium Business Waste Supervisor, Waste Minimisation Officer

10 49 Establish more council waste wise events Medium Waste Minimisation Officer

11 50 Continue to work with SSROC in developing a strategy and tender process for addresses Sutherland’s long term waste disposal needs

High Waste Manager, Waste Minimisation Coordinator, SSROC

11.2 51 Develop a community engagement and awareness strategy outlining the need to consider alternatives to the landfill and potential options

Low Waste Minimisation Coordinator, SPU, Communications

11.3 52 Assist council staff in calculating greenhouse gas impacts for the CCP reporting

Medium Waste Support Officer

11.3 53 Carry out a comprehensive study of greenhouse gas impacts from waste services and develop recommendations on ways to reduce these impacts.

Medium Science Unit, Waste Minimisation Coordinator

12 54 Develop a risk management plan relating to waste Medium Waste Manager, OH&S Representatives, GCC, Waste & Cleansing Supervisors

12 55 Continuously review options for improving safe working practices

Medium Waste Manager, OH&S Representatives, all staff

Appendix 1 Summary of relevant policies, strategies and organisations


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Appendix 2 Australian Bin StandardsSutherland’s implementation of the Australian Bin Standards

Bin type Body Lid OtherHousehold co-mingled recycling Dark green Yellow Residential Service stamp on

bodyHousehold green waste Dark green Lime green Residential Service on bodyHousehold garbage Dark green Red Residential Service on bodyBusiness co-mingled recycling Dark green Yellow Commercial Service stamp on

bodyBusiness green waste Dark green Lime green Commercial Service stamp on

bodyBusiness paper and cardboard Dark green Blue Commercial Service stamp on

bodyBusiness garbage Dark green Red Commercial Service stamp on

bodyPublic Place garbage Dark green Red Parks stamp on bodyPublic Event recycling Dark green Yellow Parks stamp & recycling

sticker on body with rosette in lid

Public Event garbage Dark green Red Parks stamp & garbage only sticker on body

Date post:	21-May-2020
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Local Waste Management Plan - Sutherland ShireDuring 2006/07 a total of 98,314 tonnes of domestic...

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