The adoption of an innovative waste management strategy has underlined Central Coast Council’s commitment to being a leader in its approach to reducing waste and recovering resources which would otherwise end up in landfill.

Council last night adopted its inaugural Waste Resource Management Strategy including provision to maintain the general waste red bin weekly service for residents and investigate the introduction of a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) service for the Central Coast. The strategy will drive the region’s push to improve solid waste management and resource recovery for the next decade.

The Strategy is the result of extended consultation with the community, industry and other stakeholders, exploring attitudes, waste sector expertise, local and global trends and options for creating a circular economy which values the recovery of resources and advocates the prevention of waste.

More than 1300 residents participated in the initial community consultation phase, with the diversion of waste away from landfill emerging as a top priority.

The resulting Strategy has four objectives:

1. Drive waste avoidance – avoiding waste by breaking single-use habits, exploring reusable options and repurposing materials.
2. Deliver a step change in resource recovery and build a circular economy through diverting waste from landfill and stimulating local demand for recovered materials.
3. Strengthen “triple bottom line” outcomes as Council partners with other stakeholders such as social enterprises, not-for-profits, community, businesses and all levels of government regarding waste management and optimising waste facilities and services.
4. Enhance street and open space appeal by creating clean streetscapes, using visual appeal and smart technology to provide waste collection facilities that enhance local settings and make it easier for communities to support recovering resources when possible.

Council’s Director Roads Transport Drainage and Waste, Boris Bolgoff said the Strategy reflects the Central Coast community’s strong awareness of waste management and its environmental impact.

“In 2018-19, 59 percent of the Coast’s waste went into landfill and this Strategy provides the framework for us to significantly reduce that amount and divert waste products into products and resources that can be used again,’ Mr Bolgoff said.

“The Central Coast is already leading the way in innovative waste education and initiatives such as recycled products being incorporated into road construction, mattress recycling and the recent announcement of our household soft plastics recycling trial,” said Mr Bolgoff.

Mayor Lisa Matthews said the development and adoption of the Waste Resource Management Strategy is a win for the whole Coast community.

“Our community has demonstrated that it is strongly committed to sustainability and managing waste well,” she said.

“We’ve listened to residents, worked with the experts and have already demonstrated a willingness to trial new and innovative approaches to waste recovery and management options,” she said.

“The adoption of this Strategy means that together, we can continue to make the Central Coast a more sustainable place to live and work, and one that is leading the way in reducing our waste footprint.”

The Waste Resource Management Strategy will be available at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au from Tuesday 15 September 2020.