Kitchen Organics Another Piece in the Puzzle

Background - Port Macquarie Hastings Council

Located on the Mid North Coast of NSW Has a population of 72,000 Provides 26,000 domestic waste services Has a DWM charge of $305 p.a

- recycling - organics - residual - bulky goods

Has one principal landfill supported by transfer stations Has an ORRF Has a MRF Annual rainfall of 1,200mm/annum Has been described as the best cllimate in Australia.

PLANNING

IMPLEMENTATION

10 YEAR FINANCIAL MODEL

SUSTAINABILITY

RISK MANAGEMENT

VISION

POLICY

STRATEGY

State Strategy

Sustainability Policy

Resource Efficiency & Sustainability Strategy

Waste Education Strategy

Regional Strategy

Social Responsibility Plan

Works Programme (80)

Environmental Responsibility

People

Community Engagement

Environment

Economic

Business Plans (3)

Corporate Plan

RWP

Income Streams

Operational Budgets

Financial

Operational

Asset Mgt

OH&S

Compliance

Guiding principle of source separation

Organics

Kitchen Wastes

Commercial

STRATEGIES

DOMESTIC

“Every now & again you get the opportunity to do something of significance” such as…………

A new waste collection contract A new ORRF A new MRF A new strategy

Waste Collection Contract

Established a file some 3 years prior to preparing the new contract specification Saved important information such as short comings in the current contract, reflect

industry changes, just plain good ideas Align with waste strategic direction Undertook trials such as the food waste trials (see www.Midwaste.org)

Food Waste Trial

1,200 premises

- 300 reference group, standard fortnightly 240ltr service

- 300 fortnightly 240ltr cleanaway Bio Insert bin

- 300 weekly 240ltr

- 300 weekly 240ltr plus kitchen tidy with compostable liner Focus group, both cornstarch and paper compostable bags Trialled the bags through the ORRF

Results> 30% greater capture of organics with the weekly service and the kitchen

tidies.

New Collection Contract

Included an option for a weekly organics collection service Included a provisional sum of $100,000 p.a (CPI linked) for the payment,

storage, assembly and distribution of kitchen tidies and compostable liners

Separately tendered the supply of tidies/liners

- $3.50 tidy

- $10.50 roll of 150 liners

- $7.00 storage, assembly, distribution

So Far ……………….. 5000 kitchen tidies/liners have been distributed in the first 6 months Is optimal and “free” No universal roll out

Jan-00

Jul-00

Feb-01

Aug-01

Mar-02

Sep-02

Apr-03

Jul-05 Jul-06 Aug-05 Aug-06 Sep-05 Sep-06 Oct-05 Oct-06 Nov-05 Nov-06 Dec-05 Dec-06 Jan-06 Jan-07 Feb-06 Feb-07

Since the introduction of an organic collection residual waste has shown a reduction of 5%

Residual Waste

Since the introduction of an organic collection, within the last 8 months collection of organic waste has

increased by 35%

Jul-05 Jul-06 Aug-05 Aug-06 Sep-05 Sep-06 Oct-05 Oct-06 Nov-05 Nov-06 Dec-05 Dec-06 Jan-06 Jan-07 Feb-06 Feb-07

Series2

Series1

Organic Waste

About Your Home

1. What type of home do you live in?

Single dwelling

Townhouse/villa

Unit

2. How many people live in your home permanently?

..……… Adults

..……… Children (0-18 years of age)

About Communicating with You

3. How do you most often find out about changes in waste management services in the Port Macquarie-Hastings area?

Council’s quarterly newsletter

Newspaper

Radio

Television

Word of mouth

Other (please specify)

About your Organics service

4. Prior to receiving your kitchen tidy how did you dispose of your foodwaste?

Into the red waste bin

Compost bin/ worm farm at home

Into the green bin

Other (please specify)

Any additional comments?

Since receiving your kitchen tidy and cornstarch bags, have you been placing the bags of food waste in your green organics bin?

Yes

No

If No, why not?

*Note: the food waste must be placed in your green bin to be recovered and composted.

5. What types of food waste have you been placing in your kitchen tidy? Please tick the boxes below, and estimate the percentage.

Food type %

Fruit & vegetables ..………

Bread ..………

Plate scrapings ..………

Tea bags & coffee grounds ..………

Other (please specify)

6. Have you had any problems while using your kitchen tidy? Please tick the boxes that apply.

Problems None Some Often Always

Mess

Odours

Flies

Leakage

Additional comments:

7. Do you find the kitchen tidy convenient?

Yes

No

8. Will you continue to use the kitchen tidy in the future?

Yes

No

If No, why not?

9. Do you know what happens to the organic material from your green bin?

Yes

No

If Yes please provide detail below

10. Do you prefer the weekly service to the previous fortnightly pickup?

Yes

No

11. On average, how full is your organics bin when it is placed out for collection each week?

¼ full

½ full

¾ full

Full

Comments

12. If you have any other comments or ideas please write them below and attach additional pieces of paper if required:

Your Details*

Name:

Suburb:

Phone number:

Please remember – as a community we are trying to reduce waste. Use your cornstarch bags sparingly (remember you can wrap additional foodwaste in newspaper when necessary) before placing in your green organics bin. Overall thankyou and congratulations on your efforts to reduce waste and help the environment!

Audit

% of contamination

% of foodwaste

Number of bags

Some Tips

Give serious consideration when adopting additional services, as once committed, it is difficult to roll back

You need the supporting infrastructure:-

- ORRF (windrow composting)

- collection contract

- bio-solids

- woody wastes “If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you

there”

- need of formal strategy and supporting business plans You need a marketing plan

The “Wildcard”

Carbon trading - national trading scheme by 2010 with a value of $4 billion

PMHC currently generates >30,000 tpa of carbon offsets through the ORRF

One tonne CO2 equivalent has a value of $10 - $30

Establish ownership ASAP