Council looks for rubbish answers

Noosa is dumping more than 11,000 tonnes of organic waste in landfill annually, swallowing up space and producing 70 per cent of the council’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions, according to Noosa Council waste management.
In a statement to the media the council said it is a situation that can’t continue for space, financial and environmental reasons and Noosa’s first community jury could soon deliver a solution.
Noosa Council waste manager Wayne Schafer said the council is currently burying 1900 truckloads of material annually that could instead be composted to reduce landfill, slash emissions and provide a useful resource.
“If you lined the 1900 trucks up bumper to bumper they’d stretch from Tewantin to Cooroy,” he said.
Each week almost half the contents of a typical household’s wheelie bin is compostable organic waste such as garden clippings and food scraps.
“The 3300 residents who’ve taken up the optional garden waste service are diverting around 1600 tonnes of organic waste from landfill each year.
“They should be applauded but we need to go further,” Mr Schafer said.
Noosa Mayor Noel Playford said the recommendations of Noosa’s inaugural community jury – a first for a Queensland council – will help Noosa develop the right solution and avoid costly mistakes.
“The jury has spent five months examining the complex topic, consulting with experts in the field to determine how we best reduce the amount of organic waste we’re landfilling,” he said.
“I am sure other councils too will be eager to read what our community jury has to say.“
The community jury will deliver its recommendations later this month.