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FINAL WASTE PLAN 2023 - 2028 · Attachment 3: Waste Survey Aug-Sept 23_ Summary of open-ended responses
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Attachment 3: Waste Survey – Summary of open-ended responses
1. Most open-ended comments (19%), were about the need to address waste at the
source - with particular concern about packaging.
“I feel it is time food manufacturers and supermarkets did more to reduce
packaging on their products.”
“Soft plastic recycling would be terrific.”
“Reduce waste at the source. By this I mean companies producing goods
should not over wrap them. Many products come in layers of plastic or double
layers of cardboard etc. This is wasteful and then the consumer is left to deal
with the waste.”
The concern about packaging and manufacturer responsibility is addressed in the
Waste Plan through the following actions:
Theme 1: 2.1 Advocate and support Federal and State government bans and
Waste schemes
Avoidance
- Single-use plastics ban (5 year roadmap for action on single-
Action 2. use plastic items
Advocacy - Expand Containers for Change (wine and spirits)
- Draft E-Products Action Plan (solar PV and battery, TV, mobile
phones).
2.2 Promote product stewardship schemes and priority product list.
list so manufacturers are responsible for the entire lifecycle of
products. Refer Attachment 3 Product Stewardship Scheme and
Priority Product list.
2.4 Lobby for end-of-life waste codes (new technologies)
*Text in bold indicates update to the Waste Plan
2. A further 15% of open-ended comments were a request for bulk kerbside
collection.
“We don’t need any new scheme, bring back kerbside collection.”
“Please bring back annual hard rubbish pick-up.”
As highlighted in the Draft Waste Plan, while bulk kerbside collection may appear
convenient, it comes at a significant environmental and financial cost.
Key statistics of the bulk kerbside collection in 2019/20 include:
• On average 850 tonnes of recyclable material sent to landfill.
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• Cost to deliver the service and dispose to landfill - $500,000
• 4,000 person hours to deliver
• 27,000km travelled in collecting items
• Environmental damage – dumping of asbestos, batteries, chemicals etc
• 4 out of 5 ratepayer didn’t use the service but still had to pay for it.
The request for bulk kerbside collection is addressed in the Waste Plan through the
following actions:
Theme 1: Waste 1.2 Achieve consistency in the Sunshine Coast region in
Avoidance the disposal of bulky items by connecting the community
with accredited platforms and organisations specialising in
Action 1. Personal recycling second hand goods, unwanted item collection,
Responsibility and sustainable disposal. Develop a central resource
detailing service providers to assist with bulky item
collection.
Theme 2: Waste 7.1 Promote programs that help residents and businesses
Reuse and repair items and/or rehome unwanted goods.
Recycling
Action 7. Reuse & Examples include:
Repair - Advisory System for Process Innovation and Resource
Action 8. Recycle
Exchange (ASPIRE)
- Reviva Noosa repair workshops
- Buy, Swap, Sell online platforms e.g. Facebook
marketplace, eBay, Gumtree.
- Community Garage Sale Trail (Post Waste Plan note,
Garage Sale scheduled for Nov 2023)
- Men/Women Sheds.
3. A further 14% of open-ended comments were about the need for education on
recycling and to make it easier and more convenient to recycle.
“Clear communication to residents about recycling is very important. Bigger
signs about their use on bins. There is a lot of confusion about what goes where
eg. People place recycled material in bin wrapped in plastic bags.”
“To achieve objective, Council needs to make it easy for the public, locals and
visitors, to dispose of waste near the source, get rid of coffee cups and make
green waste disposal at the tip free. Advertise tip recycle services.”
“Respondents in your 'Project News Community Feedback' document indicate
that the MOST important factor impacting their ability to recycle more items is
that they CAN'T find a recycling bin when they are out in public.”
The comments about recycling education and ensuring that recycling is convenient
are addressed in the Waste Plan through the following actions:
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Theme 2: 4.1 Review precinct waste management opportunities for
Waste Reuse innovation. Inclusive of bin ratios, bin level sensors, logistics and
and Recycling collections technology.
Action 4.
Precinct
4.2 Visitor waste behaviour change
Waste
Management - Develop and implement a peak period (Christmas & Easter)
waste avoidance, reduction, reuse and repair – annual campaign.
Action 8.
Recycle - Support existing visitor sustainability organisations and programs
e.g. Tourism Noosa’s Plastic Free Noosa and Tread Lightly
Action 9. Programs.
Education
- Waste free events: Review Noosa Council’s Sustainable Events
Policy to encourage waste free events. Review and modernise
Council event bin covers.
8.3 Continue to raise awareness of correct recycling practices
through educational programs and materials and investigate new
mechanisms e.g. Noosa specific Recycle Mate App.
9.1 Continue to improve waste education programs in schools
including landfill tours and in-class presentations.
9.2 Continue to promote waste awareness campaigns.
- National Recycling Week, Plastic Free July, Clean-up Australia
etc.
5. Another 14% of open-ended comments related to not supporting a food waste
collection service because respondents already compost food waste or feed food
waste to poultry and/or already minimise the amount of waste they produce.
“I don't want a food waste bin. I compost and have chickens, [it] will not get used.”
“I already use all my veg scraps etc compost & reuse in my garden. I recycle most
things I use - everything is reused & has a purpose. I create & remake and recycle
all bottles either in garden or depot. I feel we should all be more self-sufficient to
keep costs that are already sky high on all levels of living as none of us need any
more extra charges than we already do. I believe that a good council would look
after its people that are ready finding it tough. Let the people decide if they want
an extra bin & charges added to their rates.”
The comments about not supporting a food waste collection service, due to
respondents already composting and minimising waste, is addressed in the Waste
Plan in the following actions:
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Theme 1: Waste Avoidance 1.3 Investigate waste behavior change and
Action 1. Personal recognition programs (residential and business) e.g.
Responsibility Living Smart, Plastic Free Noosa etc.
Theme 2: Waste Reuse & 3.2 Continue to support and promote community
Recycling composting and worm farming workshops.
Action 3. Garden Waste
Theme 2: Waste Reuse & 1.4 Conduct education and consultation on the
Recycling, Action 1. Food environmental benefits and expanded waste
Waste processing capabilities of a food waste
collection service e.g. a food waste collection
NEW ACTION 1.4 service can process items that are unable to go
in a home composter such as meat (cooked and
raw), dairy products, seafood, and compostable
coffee cups and take away containers.
6. A further 12% of open-ended comments were in support of implementing a food
waste collection service as a high priority.
“I support the regenerative circular economy! Green waste and food waste must
be used as a valuable resource - for compost, carbon sequestration, energy
and more.”
“FOGO should be one of the highest priorities given the outsized emissions
(about a third of household bin waste) and potential reductions. Many councils
now have this. See Penrith City Council and Merri-Bek Council as examples.”
“Considering that methane form landfill is the biggest polluter in Noosa Shire, I
am surprised Council hasn’t acted sooner. This requires immediate action.”
Comments regarding support for implementing a food waste collection service are
addressed in the Waste Plan through the following actions:
Theme 2: Waste 1.1 Continue to progress food waste treatment
Reuse and Recycling investigations inclusive of, but not limited to, the
following technologies: In-Vessel Composting and
Action 1. Anaerobic Digestion. Convert food waste into energy
Food Waste and/or compost including establishing markets by
promotion and education.
1.2 Review bin infrastructure and collection frequency
(residential and commercial) to support food waste
infrastructure.
1.3 Implement a food waste campaign to reduce food
waste at the source.
7. A further 10% of open-ended comments were concerns about the cost to ratepayers
to implement the Waste Plan actions.
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“Certainly no more bins!! Bring back kerbside collection. No extra cost to ratepayer
every time a new idea is decided upon. Offering a free [bin] replacement every 5-
10 years, they get quite damaged from the truck arms.”
“Rate payers cannot be hit with high increases to support this. People can’t afford
it. The idea of EV is ridiculous as this country has the highest electricity rates in the
world and they are not economical. There are many free options available to
encourage residents to better manage their waste. I do not support any massive
increase to rates for any of this plan.”
As highlighted on page 11 “Key Divers of the Waste Plan – Cost Savings,” every tonne
of waste to landfill that can be reduced and recycled is a cost saving and even has the
potential to create revenue through the sale of materials. In the 2022-23 financial year
the State waste levy was $95 per tonne. The State waste levy will increase by $10 per
tonne until it reaches $145 per tonne on 1 July 2027.
As stated by one of the Your Say survey respondents (March 2023) “this is not about
what it will cost to do this, it’s about what it will cost in the long term if we don’t.”
In the Waste Plan, Theme 3: Circular Economy and Economic Opportunities includes
several actions aimed at developing the circular economy to unlock economic
opportunities and promote employment and in turn reduce the cost to the community
of landfilling material that could be utilised as a resource with potential revenue
generation.
8. Less than 10% of open-ended comments included:
• Praise for the Waste Plan and other innovative waste minimisation
suggestions. (8%)
• None Waste Plan related responses. (8%) e.g Comments about the
Local Government Act
• Request for free tip vouchers and to make it free to take things to the
tip (especially green waste). (8%)
• Frustration that the Waste Plan is too general or not going far enough.
(5%)
• Believe the exiting waste operations are working well and don’t need to
change anything. (5%)
• Oppose the United Nations and climate change science. (4%)
• Suggest changes to bin service fee structure to reward those who
reduce waste. (3%)