FAQ

In May/June 2012, the Fleurieu Regional Waste Authority (FRWA) undertook a regional kerbside bin audit of selected properties within the areas of Alexandrina Council, Kangaroo Island Council, City of Victor Harbor and District Council of Yankalilla. 

The audit found that 55% of the general waste stream consisted of potentially recyclable materials (28% recyclables and 27% food/green waste). On the basis of this, FRWA recognised the potential to encourage diversion of waste from landfill by altering the bin collection schedule. 

The 2014 FRWA bin audit delivered similar results to the 2012 audit, highlighting that valuable resources are still being sent to landfill: the average general waste bin contains (by weight) 16% recyclables, 9% green organics, 38% food & compostable paper, 6% other (electronic resources, clothing etc.) and 31% waste.

Council wants your feedback before it makes any decision to change (or not) the current kerbside waste collection.

No, Council is doing this to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill and to increase the rate of recycling and resource recovery. The cost of increasing the frequency of recycling collections to fortnightly and reducing waste collection to fortnightly is slightly less than making no change to the current system. There will be minor costs incurred from the initial implementation and education relevant to the program which will reduce and be eliminated over time. 

Rural properties will get an increase in recycling collections from 4-weekly to fortnightly which will help take the pressure off of your waste bin to handle all of your waste. Rural properties have more space for composting and resource recovery on-site so generally don’t have the same need as urban and suburban properties for an organics collection. Rural properties often have chooks or livestock which may eat food scraps reducing the need for the extra waste and organics capacity. In other words: recycle& compost more, waste less