Regional Waste

Regional Waste

Waste less

Recycle More

✻

The Hunter Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery (WARR) Strategy 2014-21, covers the local government areas of Cessnock City Council, Dungog Shire Council, Lake Macquarie City Council, Maitland City Council, Muswellbrook Shire Council, City of Newcastle, Port Stephens Council, Singleton Council and Upper Hunter Shire Council. The nine Councils are now actively working together to implement the strategy through improved efficiencies and the introduction of new systems, infrastructure and community engagement activities to assist in reducing waste generation, improving waste diversion, and achieving the NSW targets.

 

 

With over 50 dedicated actions across seven major themes, the Hunter WARR Strategy addresses all aspects of waste management – from avoiding the creation of waste in the first place right through to final disposal of materials. The seven Strategy themes are:

  1. Waste Avoidance
  2. Resource Recovery
  3. Diversion of waste from landfill
  4. Problem wastes
  5. Reduce Littering
  6. Reduce Illegal Dumping
  7. Governance and leading by example

Hunter Council’s Regional Waste Team collaborates closely with local councils and numerous stakeholders to deliver the WARR Strategy. These include NSW EPA, industry representatives and associations, consultants, NSW TAFE and regional businesses. The team is also focussed on the collection and analysis of waste generation, diversion and landfilling data in order to model when and where waste infrastructure changes may be needed in the future to ensure adequate services are available for the region’s growing population.

Since the commencement of the Strategy implementation, the region has increased diversion of waste from landfill from approximately 30% in the baseline year, up to 40% of all domestic waste collected or received at landfill, despite seeing a significant population increase over the same period.

Regional Waste Projects that are delivered by the Hunter Councils Regional Waste Team include:

  • Waste Education
  • Love Food Hate Waste
  • Regional Litter Prevention

This project is a NSW EPA Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy.

Regional Waste Education Program

Regional Waste Education Program

Regional

Waste Education

✻

Our regional waste education program support the implementation of all aspects of the WARR strategy. The regional waste education coordinator works with our Member Councils to educate the community on reducing and effectively managing their waste.

Small Acts Big Change is the flagship branding for all waste education messages and projects. Small Acts Big Change is aimed at reducing the amount of items we send to landfill. It educated the community on ways to do this such as avoiding disposable items, reusing and upcycling, donating and recycling. The site also provides an interactive map that helps you relate where items can be recycled in your local government area.

 

 

Current projects and campaigns includes:

You’ve got the Power. A social media and print campaign to educate the community on the correct way to dispose of household batteries.

Love your local Landscapes? A billboard campaign aimed at discouraging and encouraging reporting to the Report Illegal Dumping (RID) Squad.

Television Campaigns:

The Waste Wrappers. A fun, interactive performance about recycling and avoidance, available for community events.

The Charity Illegal Dumping Toolkit to assist charity operators to reduce illegal dumping around collection bins and stores.

 

SABC_Logo_charcoal-01

Love Food

Hate Waste

✻

Love Food Hate Waste is a program that aims to help households and businesses to avoid food waste and save money.

In 2015 Hunter Councils partnered with Hunter TAFE to develop a course module for all apprentice chefs in the region. The course aims to inspire apprentices to adopt practical strategies for avoiding and minimising food waste in a commercial kitchen. The project won the Waste Education category at the LGNSW Excellence in the Environment Awards.

See below videos and factsheets on reducing food waste that were developed as part of the program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love Food

on Campus

✻

Hunter Councils has partnered with the University of Newcastle’s (UON) Champions4Change, to deliver the Love Food on Campus project at UON. The project engages residential students to find out why they are wasting food and how to turn those behaviours around. Love Food on Campus teaches students meal planning, portion control, correct food storage and waste avoidance cooking techniques.

To better understand the behaviours of students waste audits have been conducted on food waste generation. The audit results were incorporated into events and focused on developing students skills and knowledge of food waste.

 

 

Cooking demonstrations taught the students knife skills and options for purchasing whole produce to save money and reduce packaging. Techniques for making nutritional meals utilising UON student association fruit and vegetable boxes have been a highlight.

See resources below to assist planning nutritional meals and avoid food waste:

 

For further information contact Regional Waste Program Manager, Michael Neville on 02 49784034 or michaeln@huntercouncils.com.au

✻

This project was supported by the Environmental Trust as part of the NSW EPA’s Waste Less Recycle More initiative, funded from the waste levy

OEH_ETlogoWrd       EPA-colour-small-primary      LFHWphotographic

Regional Litter

Regional Litter

Regional

Litter

✻

The Hunter Region Litter Plan 2016-2021 was developed by Hunter Councils in collaboration with Member Councils and the NSW EPA. A strategic approach to litter across the region is being developed, involving a review of governance approaches to litter management, developing baseline costs and shifting the focus from litter management to litter prevention.

Recreational Parks Project

This project is encouraging members of the public to use public litter bin rather than drop Litter. Systems targeted at Council recreational facilities used for sporting, social and community activities are being trialled. Partnerships with community groups, local residence and businesses are being developed that will utilise targeted education programs, improved infrastructure, signage and regular monitoring. The program will function as pilot program for the region.

 

 

 

 

 

Year 8 students at Mount View High School participating in a clean up that collected over 500 litres of litter at the Mount View Park.

Regional Waste Networks

Regional Waste Networks

Hunter Waste Strategy Group

Hunter Councils and nine Member Councils are working together on the implementation of The Hunter Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery (WARR) Strategy 2014 – 2021. The WARR strategy aims to reduce waste to landfill and increase the effective management of waste generated in the region. This network has a member only locked area.

Log in to the Regional Strategic Waste Management Group

 

Contact Details

Michael Neville
Phone: (02) 4978 4020
Email: hccrems@huntercouncils.com.au

Hunter Waste Educators Group (HWEG)

This established council network comprises of officers from nine Member Councils. The group works to facilitate the educational actions from the WARR strategy. This network has a members only locked area.

Log in to the Hunter Waste Educators Group

 

Contact Details

Michael Neville
Phone: (02) 4978 4020
Email: hccrems@huntercouncils.com.au