Annual Report 2010-11 - Zero Waste SA - SA.Gov.au

Municipal Solid Waste
25
Kerbside food waste incentives
South Australia’s Waste Strategy 2011–2015 includes a stretch target of 70% of all
material presented at the kerbside to be recycled by 2015. Achievement of this target will
require kerbside collection of food waste and improvements that reduce contamination.
To assist local government to achieve the target, Zero Waste SA has incentive grants
available to councils that introduce food waste systems for collection with green organics
and subsequent composting.
By collecting and processing dry recyclables and green organics, metropolitan councils
now typically divert in the order of 50–55% of household waste. Audits indicate that
up to 50% of material in the waste bin is food or other organic material suitable for
composting.
During 2009, 17,000 households in 10 council areas participated in Australia’s most
comprehensive pilot of household food waste recycling. Different designs of benchtop
containers were tested together with, and without, the use of compostable liner
bags. Food waste was collected as part of existing council green organics collections.
Households could recycle shredded paper and tissues and all food scraps, including meat,
bones, teabags, and egg and oyster shells.
The food waste pilots informed Zero Waste SA and stakeholders of the: potential for
diversion; kerbside yields; contamination rates; resident satisfaction levels; changes in
presentation rates with differing collection frequency; cost implications; load capacities;
and odour levels. The assessment showed high levels of participation and diversions of up
to 71% of materials away from landfill in some areas.
Results from the pilot importantly informed a further Zero Waste SA incentive program:,
Kerbside Performance Plus, to which the Government committed $6.1 million over four
years (from 2010 2011 to 2013–2014).
Under the new program a first round of funding was awarded to five councils in
December 2010 to:
> City of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters ($157,782)
> City of Port Adelaide Enfield ($411,140)
> City of Prospect ($80,285)
> Naracoorte Lucindale Council ($29,250)
> The City of Whyalla ($16,653).
This funding will help approximately 89,000 households to increase their recycling efforts.