Project Overview Waste Pathways: Outlook 2007 Justin Lang, City of Burnside

Overview Trial preparation – lead times Background info on GO presentation Scope of organics audits Participation & barriers to uptake Resident survey Composting sessions Recommendations

Implementation Large trial area Representative housing, demographics, etc Limited contact with residents Professional information for community

Trial brochure Key messages: –Fortnightly service –Place material in GO Bin –Clean & simple to use –Current service has achieved 56% diversion –50% of residual stream is organic (2004 CoB audit) –Bio baskets will help divert up to 75% of residential waste stream –As easy as one, two, three…

Audit methodology Adapted from Kerbside Performance reporting: Assess participation and resident behaviour (contamination, no. of bags); Monitor presentation rates, tonnages, yields per household; Assess WHERE organics are going (both waste and GO streams).

Results Participation Contamination Diversion (and potential diversion) Weight per bag Bag consumption Yields per household (kilograms)

2004 Kerbside Audit (W&R) Composition of material – as presented (n=76) 62% capacity 2 nd bins 62% 69% capacity recyclables waste Compostables (kg) Not assessed Contents not assessed. Not assessed 58% capacity recyclables waste 66% capacity Compostables 53.9% Other material 23.0% Recyclables 17.9% Misc plastics 5.2% Recyclables 96.6% 05/06 Bio Basket Organics Audit (W&GO) Composition of material – as presented (n=245, GO n=192, waste n=241) Compostable green organic material (kg) Food waste & compostable material (kg) contamination (kg) 66% capacity, 2 nd bins 65%

Typical participants 5.00 kg food waste / fortnight ~17.00 kg green organics per fortnight Negligible food in residual Rec. W 56% capacity Contents not assessed. 59% capacity Bio bags presented in GO bin Food in residual Rec. W 56% capacity Contents not assessed. “Non participants” Substantial food in residual Rec. W W

Participation 245* premises incl. in organics audits 192/245 premises (78%) presented GO bins 132/192 presented food waste in GO Bins (69% of GO Bins presented). Based upon kerbside audits, this represents a participation rate of 54% (132/245). Home composters (~9-18) 3.2 bags per wk/hh

Results - diversion 36.3% diversion of the residual organic waste 8.6% diversion of the total waste stream green organics 64.6% diverted 15.4% organic 20% residual recyclables food (8.6%)

Food waste per household

% diversion of organics per household (No GO presented)

% diversion food waste per household

Results - contamination Green organics stream –2.79% contamination of green organics bins (by weight) –23% incident rate of contamination –Typically garden pots etc Negligible contamination within cornstarch bags

Results – telephone survey 98% trial community awareness 84% had used the system 77% continued to use the system (93% were happy to continue) 81% of current users and 48% former users – “very easy” to use No issues with odour Willingness $, 5+ bags, other disposal methods

Composting / sessions Telephone survey 38% (34) composting 13 resident info sessions (3 hr sessions) - free Gedye bin Part of exit strategy (in conjunction with continued use). Cornstarch bags available from Council office.

Kerbside collection Performance of trucks (monthly audits) Weight per load & daily tonnages Determine average yield / household Contamination –CCTV –2 strikes policy –Removal of service

Barriers to uptake Basic GO service (since 1997) monthly (optional user-pays service) 39% dwelling units / flats GO Bin ownership relatively low (~65%) Split bin service collected weekly (by necessity) compared with opportunity for Councils with 3 bin systems to reduce effective volume of residual waste containers (fortnightly collections)

Recommendations Reduce residual waste collection frequency (reduced cost of collection offsets bio basket cost & ongoing bag costs) This also has the potential to: - increase diversion ratio (for each h/hold) and - increase participation (get more onboard) LG report available.