❓ Mr. Krsticevic asks about the Better Bins program. Minister Jacob details the program's funding increase, three-bin system, and positive impact on recycling rates, citing the City of Bunbury as an example. Interjections disrupt the response.
AnsweredQoN 298Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BETTER
BINS PROGRAM
298. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the
Minister for Environment:
I noted the minister's recent announcement of
increased funding for the Better Bins program. Could he please update the house
on this program?
Several members interjected.
BINS PROGRAM
298. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the
Minister for Environment:
I noted the minister's recent announcement of
increased funding for the Better Bins program. Could he please update the house
on this program?
Several members interjected.
AnswerView source ↗
I do not know why I can hear giggles from members opposite.
For those members who perhaps are not aware, the Better Bins program funds
local government authorities to provide residents with an improved,
standardised, or consistent, kerbside collection system, which we believe has consistently
been shown to be the best way to help increase recycling rates and also divert
waste from landfill.
The program encourages a system that was built on a model
founded on a three-bin system, which separates green waste into a bin with a
light-coloured lid, co-mingled recyclables into yellow lidded bins—most
of us have those already—and general waste into new red lidded bins,
which will also have recycling outcomes. Potentially, into the future there
will be three source-separated waste streams going into recycling. By providing
uniform lid colours and a very simple, clear and easy to understand system
between different council areas across the metropolitan area, we believe that
this will help homeowners, regardless of where they live, to understand what
type of waste goes into which bin. It will also enable the state government to
engage with local governments across Western Australia to fund and run better
targeted information campaigns to also improve recycling rates.
Although there have been some mixed reviews from those who
have not yet experienced the Better Bins program, my experience from those
jurisdictions in which the three-bin system already operates is that residents
strongly support it. For example, the City of Bunbury is a very good example of
the marked increase in recycling rates from this system and was one of the
first councils to introduce this system. Its diversion rate of household waste
was sitting at around 23 per cent in 2011–12, but following the
introduction of this source-separated, three-bin system, its recycling and
landfill diversion rates has increased from 23 per cent to over 56 per cent in
2013–14. That is a doubling in its recycling rate in only two years.
Examples of international and interstate jurisdictions that lead us in waste
avoidance and recycling examples have consistently shown that source separation
is a foundation.
Earlier this month I announced an increase in funding. The
program for the past 12 months ran as a $7 million program offered to local
governments, and we have now increased that to $20 million for the coming year.
I can confirm that seven local councils have already signed up to this program
so far. Another significant driver of recycling is the increase to the waste
levy that the state government brought in on 1 January this year. The extra
revenue raised as a result of the waste levy is actually the funding source of
this program, so we are not calling upon the Treasurer for extra funds for this
program; it is self-funded through that levy.
Our recycling strategy in Western Australia is already
working. The municipal waste sector for the metropolitan area has shown the
largest increase in diversion rates, from 39 per cent —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Wind
it up, minister, please.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Okay, Mr Speaker.
The largest increase in diversion rates from 39 per cent to
45 per cent —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Right, can you wind it up, please.
Mr A.P. JACOB : A
six per cent increase —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Right, member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first
time. Member for Cannington, you are starting to sail close to the wind now.
Minister, wind it up, please.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Container deposit legislation is 1.5 per cent of the waste
stream. We have had a six per cent increase in recycling just in the past 12
months alone or in the previous reporting year. We have already quadrupled the
best-case-scenario results. That is how good this government's
recycling strategy is, and those are the sorts of results that we are
achieving. We will continue to recognise waste as a resource; we will continue
to encourage investment in waste recovery infrastructure; and we will continue
to develop initiatives such as the Better Bins program.
For those members who perhaps are not aware, the Better Bins program funds
local government authorities to provide residents with an improved,
standardised, or consistent, kerbside collection system, which we believe has consistently
been shown to be the best way to help increase recycling rates and also divert
waste from landfill.
The program encourages a system that was built on a model
founded on a three-bin system, which separates green waste into a bin with a
light-coloured lid, co-mingled recyclables into yellow lidded bins—most
of us have those already—and general waste into new red lidded bins,
which will also have recycling outcomes. Potentially, into the future there
will be three source-separated waste streams going into recycling. By providing
uniform lid colours and a very simple, clear and easy to understand system
between different council areas across the metropolitan area, we believe that
this will help homeowners, regardless of where they live, to understand what
type of waste goes into which bin. It will also enable the state government to
engage with local governments across Western Australia to fund and run better
targeted information campaigns to also improve recycling rates.
Although there have been some mixed reviews from those who
have not yet experienced the Better Bins program, my experience from those
jurisdictions in which the three-bin system already operates is that residents
strongly support it. For example, the City of Bunbury is a very good example of
the marked increase in recycling rates from this system and was one of the
first councils to introduce this system. Its diversion rate of household waste
was sitting at around 23 per cent in 2011–12, but following the
introduction of this source-separated, three-bin system, its recycling and
landfill diversion rates has increased from 23 per cent to over 56 per cent in
2013–14. That is a doubling in its recycling rate in only two years.
Examples of international and interstate jurisdictions that lead us in waste
avoidance and recycling examples have consistently shown that source separation
is a foundation.
Earlier this month I announced an increase in funding. The
program for the past 12 months ran as a $7 million program offered to local
governments, and we have now increased that to $20 million for the coming year.
I can confirm that seven local councils have already signed up to this program
so far. Another significant driver of recycling is the increase to the waste
levy that the state government brought in on 1 January this year. The extra
revenue raised as a result of the waste levy is actually the funding source of
this program, so we are not calling upon the Treasurer for extra funds for this
program; it is self-funded through that levy.
Our recycling strategy in Western Australia is already
working. The municipal waste sector for the metropolitan area has shown the
largest increase in diversion rates, from 39 per cent —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Wind
it up, minister, please.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Okay, Mr Speaker.
The largest increase in diversion rates from 39 per cent to
45 per cent —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Right, can you wind it up, please.
Mr A.P. JACOB : A
six per cent increase —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Right, member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first
time. Member for Cannington, you are starting to sail close to the wind now.
Minister, wind it up, please.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Container deposit legislation is 1.5 per cent of the waste
stream. We have had a six per cent increase in recycling just in the past 12
months alone or in the previous reporting year. We have already quadrupled the
best-case-scenario results. That is how good this government's
recycling strategy is, and those are the sorts of results that we are
achieving. We will continue to recognise waste as a resource; we will continue
to encourage investment in waste recovery infrastructure; and we will continue
to develop initiatives such as the Better Bins program.
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