City exceeds waste targets six years early


The City of Bunbury is pleased to announce due to the introduction of the three-bin system that Bunbury has exceeded the State’s targets for waste six years early.

Almost one year ago the City introduced a third bin to its waste program which has been used to collect organic waste. The third bin allows residents to sort their waste into three categories – rubbish, recyclables and organics.

Organics include waste such as vegetable and food scraps (cooked or raw), tea bags, coffee grounds, leaves, hair, garden vegetation and excess cardboard and paper.

Since the inception of the new waste program the City has managed to divert 67% of its waste away from landfill into either recycling or compost.

This number far exceeds the target which the State Government set before the program began.

Under State Government targets the City was expected to divert 30% of its waste from landfill by 2015 and 50% by 2020.

Waste Operations Manager Tony Battersby said the majority of residents had embraced the system despite some hesitation in the beginning.

“Bunbury was the first Local Government area in the state to employ a third bin used for food and vegetation waste and it has paid dividends in us reaching our targets,” Mr Battersby said.

“It is a credit to the people of Bunbury who are continuing to do the right thing when it comes to sorting out their household waste.”

The program – which does not incur any added cost to ratepayers – has allowed Bunbury to have one of the lowest rates in the state when it comes to sending waste to landfill.

For more information on the three-bin system click here