Waste Management
Typical Questions and Answers Regarding Recyclable and Waste Disposal Programs within the City of Monash.
- Domestic Waste and Landfill Sites
- Kerbside Recycling
- Recycling Other Materials
- Monash Council Waste/ Litter Education Program
Domestic Waste and Landfill Sites
How is rubbish collected in the City of Monash?
Rubbish is loaded into trucks by a robotic arm, which lifts each bin up and empties the rubbish into the truck. When full, the truck takes the rubbish to one of the landfill sites.
Where does the rubbish go?
Rubbish is collected by the garbage contractor and taken to the Clayton landfill site, where it is deposited and covered daily.
The landfill is a large hole in the ground, which was originally dug out to recover sand, which was used for making concrete in the building industry. This hole is lined with a membrane to contain the rubbish without contaminating the surrounding area.
What happens to our everyday rubbish after it goes to the tip?
After being dumped by the garbage truck at the landfill, large earthmoving machines spread the rubbish into layers over previously compacted garbage where they run over it with the machine to flatten and compress the rubbish.
At the end of each day, soil and other cover material is spread over the top of the rubbish to cover it and prevent odour, litter blowing away or scavenging by animals and birds. The buried rubbish breaks down and decomposes with the passing of time and becomes inoffensive.
The buried rubbish produces methane gas, which is collected in pipes and is transported to a generator plant where it produces electricity and sold to the power authority.
Eventually when the landfill is filled to the top a thick layer of soil is piled on top and many filled areas are turned into recreational areas such as parks, football fields and golf courses.
How long will the landfill sites last?
Clayton Landfill has been operating for a number of years. In 2007 a new cell opened at the landfill and is expected to last for approximately 5 years.
How much rubbish is collected in a year?
In the 2005/2006 financial year approximately 34,000 tonnes of garbage was collected from domestic premises within the City of Monash. The average home in the City of Monash throws out approximately 10 kilograms of waste each week or over 540 kilograms a year.
How long does it take for the truck to collect the rubbish around Monash?
Rubbish is collected by 10 garbage trucks, which work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.
A full garbage truck holds about 10 tonnes of garbage. Each truck takes 2-3 loads per day to the landfill site.
What sort of rubbish is found in most bins?
Household and kitchen rubbish such as food scraps, plastic bags and paper packaging.
Kerbside Recycling
How are recyclables collected in the City of Monash?
The Recycling Contractor uses trucks to collect glass, plastic, juice and milk cartons, aluminium, steel, newspaper and cardboard from all areas.
What items CAN be put in the recycling bin?
- Plastic - All items with a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 in the triangle with the exception of foam and plastic bags. This includes plastic milk and cream bottles, detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, yoghurt and ice-cream containers, cordial bottles and soft drink bottles.
- Aluminium - drink cans such as Coke.
- Steel Cans - such as Pet food cans, tinned fruit cans, empty and clean paint and oil tins, aerosol cans.
- Glass - all glass bottles and jars (clear, amber and green glass).
- Paper - Newspapers and advertising material.
- Telephone books can also be disposed of at Book Munchers located throughout the municipality at various times of the year.
- Cardboard - Flattened cardboard boxes (including cereal and food boxes) and telephone books - but not waxed fruit boxes.
- Cartons - milk cartons, juice cartons - rinsed and flattened cartons inside each other to make a brick.
What items CAN NOT be put in the recycling bin?
- Plastic bags
- Window or table glass
- Gas cylinders
- Nappies
- Ceramic plates or mugs
- Light globes
- Foam meat trays
- Sharps
What is important to remember when putting out my recycling bin?
- Remove all plastic lids from bottles and containers (these need to go in the rubbish).
- Rinse as many containers as possible.
- Flatten and squash containers wherever possible before placing in the bin to increase the capacity of the bin.
What happens to recyclable items?
The recyclable items that you put out in your bin on the kerbside are taken to a sorting factory, called a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).
Here they are emptied on a conveyer and sorted into different categories of glass, plastic etc. Each type of recyclable is put into separate bins and bundled or bailed up.
These are then sold to the manufacturing companies, who use machines to crush, shred, wash and melt the materials (reducing the need to use natural resources) so that they can be used to make new items, such as new bottles, plastic garden furniture, new cans, packaging and recycled paper products.
With paper, it is pulped and heated into a liquid mass that can then be spread, rolled, dried and used to make recycled paper, cardboard and packaging.
How can we start a recycling program?
A recycling program should consider the three R's -- Reduce
- avoid buying items with lots of packaging as this wastes valuable resources which are generally thrown away and creates rubbish and producing more greenhouse gases.
- Re-use
- re-use whatever waste you can such as boxes to store things in, make compost from your garden and kitchen (food) wastes and buy items made from recycled materials which will save on using natural resources.
- Recycle
- separate all recyclable items from your rubbish, which is normally placed in the garbage bin, and place them out separately for collection. The school should talk to the Recycling Contractor to collect these items.
Once you have identified how you might be able to do this at your School, you should then write your plan down on paper and give it to the other teachers and students so they can also do it. Contact Council for assistance in undertaking a waste audit and making your schools "Waste Wise".
What happens if you can't recycle things?
Materials that cannot be recycled are collected by the Garbage Contractor and taken to the landfill.
Council annually collects what we call "hard and green waste" which includes unwanted household goods such as furniture, stoves, fridges, heaters, and garden prunings, which have been bundled and tied. These items are sorted and those that can be recycled, such as fridges, where the metals can be reused, are taken to the steel recycler. The remainder is disposed of at a landfill site.
How much recyclables are collected in a year?
In 2005/2006 Monash residents put out for collection around 9,246 tonnes of paper/cardboard and 7,171 tonnes of glass, plastic, aluminium and steel for recycling.
How many people recycle in the City of Monash?
With the wheelie bin recycling system introduced in April 2006 we believe recycling participation has increased to 85 houses out of 100. This suggests that of the 63,000 houses throughout the region 54,000 actively recycle in the Council's program.
Do people recycle more than they did five years ago?
Yes. The participation rate has lifted from 47% in 1990 to 75% in 2000, and to 85% in 2006. This is largely due to people becoming more conscious of the need to protect our environment and the recycling made easier.
Where do manufacturers take material for recycling?
- Glass is sold to ACI, a glass company, which makes most of the glass bottles and jars used in Victoria. This firm re-melts the glass down and then makes new bottles and jars out of it.
- Plastic is melted down and the impurities scooped off. The hot molten material is used to make new products in moulds.
- PET plastic (eg clear soft drink bottles) goes to Coca-Cola Amatil.
- HDPE plastic goes to Brickwood Holdings in Cheltenham or Visy Recycling.
- PVC plastic goes to Cryogrind in Geelong or to overseas markets. - Aluminium Cans go to Alcan.
- Steel goes to BHP.
- Glass bottles and jars goes to VISY or ACI.
- Paperboard (milk cartons) go to Australian Paper(AMCOR).
- Mixed plastics go to Queensland or overseas markets to be made into a product called "Syntal", which is used to make sturdy products such as outdoor furniture and posts.
How long does it take to recycle a truck load?
Once the recyclables are taken back to the Materials Recovery Facility, it takes about 60 minutes to sort. This is then baled and stored until there are sufficient quantities to be transported to the manufacturer for processing and reuse.
Does the recycling process smell?
No. Most food containers placed out by residents are rinsed out of food and liquids so there is nothing left to smell. The small number of containers that have not been rinsed out do not cause a problem.
Recycling Other Materials
What other things can we recycle?
How can we cut down on the amount of food getting thrown away?
Place food scraps in a compost bin and turn it into mulch for garden and flowerbeds. You can also try using a worm factory for converting scraps into nutrients for the garden. These processes do need to be controlled and you should refer to literature available on composting in the correct manner.
How do you get everyone to recycle?
Firstly, you must offer a reliable service that people can use, and provide brochures and information on what can be recycled. Secondly, make it easy for people to separate their recyclable waste from their garbage and thirdly, keep trying to encourage the few people who either don't know or who don't want to participate to become involved.
What else can we do apart from Recycling?
The best way to really help the environment is to observe the 3R's - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
If we reduce the amount of waste we create, less goes to the landfill site and less has to be recycled. An example is taking your sandwich in a plastic container to school, rather than plastic wrap. This reduces the amount of waste we have created. If you re-use a refillable drink bottle, rather than purchase primas you have again created less waste. These simple steps can make a big difference.
If you set up a compost bin or worm farm at school or home this will be a good way to turn your food scraps (such as apple cores and banana peels) into rich soil for the garden. This is a much better alternative than it going to the landfill and being wasted.
Monash Council Waste/ Litter Education Program
How can Council assist Schools and the Community with Waste/Litter Education?
Monash City Council has an appointed Waste Management & Education Officer to provide waste information and support to schools, business and community groups.
The education officer can assist you with information on Waste Wise school programs, composing and worm factory workshops, and litter reduction and recycling strategies.
If you are interested in an environmental education program for your school or group, or to find out more about the Monash City Council's education services, please contact the Waste Management department on (03) 9518 3423.
For more information on the Waste Wise program visit: www.sustainability.vic.gov.au
Last updated: 4 April 2010
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