2015-08-24 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   24 AUGUST 2015




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GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                                         24 AUGUST 2015

               VISION (How did jurors describe Noosa’s perfect future of waste management?)

                Noosa will become a leader in organic waste management, targeting zero
               organic waste to landfill by 2030.
                In 2030, Noosa’s organic waste is no longer sent to landfill. It is too valuable to be wasted. Instead,
                large quantities of nutrient rich material are collected from Noosa’s residents and businesses and
                brought to the award-winning facility at Eumundi Road where it is converted into high-grade
               compost. In our rural areas, residents continue the good work they were doing back in 2015, targeting
                100% of organic waste is reused in home composting facilities and worm farms.

               The Eumundi Road facility was expected to reach the end of its life by 2048, but now it is the hub of a
                profitable new industry for Noosa. The industry employs a large number of people, makes money for
               Council and some of its leaders travel the world sharing their experiences with others.

                It started with an overhaul of Noosa’s waste collection system and the separation of organic waste,
                recyclable waste and inorganic waste into three bins. Today, the Eumundi Road facility produces high
               quality mulch and compost that is independently audited and verified to meet stringent Australian
                standards. The compost is so good that Council has customers lining up to buy its products including
               the National Parks and Wildlife Service and high-end landscapers who are happy to pay a premium.

               The Council has continued education and awareness schemes, awarding prizes and recognition for
               those residents who strive for stringent waste management and reduction.

                Plastic bags are long gone with biodegradable bags now the norm. The local marine life is thriving as a
                result, less waste is thrown on the ground and contamination of bins’ contents is negligible. Noosa’s
                major commercial food outlets and other large producers of organic waste have implemented best
                practice strategies for minimising their waste in consultation with Noosa Council.

               You see, the everyday people of Noosa have really taken to the idea of living in a biosphere reserve
               where waste is a thing of the past. People from all walks of life are happy to demonstrate ways to
                reduce the amount of organic waste they produce. Tourists leave Noosa with a new respect for the
               area; it is not just beautiful — it is sustainable and the people who live and work in Noosa want it to
               stay that way.

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