The Sunshine Coast and Noosa community helped social enterprise Resource Recovery Australia (RRA) divert 445 tonnes of waste from landfill in 2020-21 – equivalent to more than 49 garbage trucks full of waste.
Announcing the result during National Recycling Week 2021 (8-14 November), RRA general manager Matt Curtis said the community had shown a real commitment to reducing waste through reuse, repair and recycling.
“The Sunshine Coast community has helped us to divert 445 tonnes of waste from landfill in the 2020/21 financial year – helping towards our national total of 7653 tonnes,“ Mr Curtis said.
“Diverting waste from landfill has positive impacts on our environment. With our #Waste2Wages model, waste diversion means local jobs and moving towards a circular economy with less reliance on virgin materials.”
RRA is a national social enterprise that works in waste management to keep waste out of landfill, create jobs for people experiencing barriers to work and to engage and connect people in our communities. RRA operates in NSW, QLD and the ACT across eight regions, opening new sites in Taree NSW and Toowoomba and Rockhampton in Queensland in 2020-21.
RRA operates the Reviva Noosa reuse shop and provides additional waste diversion services, including mattress processing, on behalf of Noosa Shire Council.
RRA has been working with Noosa Shire Council since 2018 and provided 13 employment opportunities in Noosa in 2020-21. The organisation provided 143 opportunities nationally.
Noosa Council waste coordinator, Ian Florence said, “RRA are integral to Noosa Council’s strategy to remove as much reusable and recyclable material from landfill as possible.”
“The fact that our partnership with RRA also offers employment opportunities to the Noosa community is very rewarding for all involved. It completely validates our decision to engage RRA to operate Council’s reuse shop,” he said.
RRA Noosa manager Mitch McIntyre said they appreciated the support provided by Noosa Shire Council.
“Noosa Shire Council has supported us, providing additional opportunities for our team to learn and grow in their careers.
“This year, Noosa has seen an influx of migration. For us, this means more donatable and recyclable items. The Reviva Noosa team took on the challenge, not only in their stride, but professionally and compassionately.”
