THE Mount Gambier Community Reuse Market will open next year to divert salvageable items from landfill and potentially reduce illegal dumping.
Mount Gambier City Council endorsed design plans and cost estimates on Tuesday night for a $560,000 facility.
The “reuse market” will be constructed at 3 and 5 Eucalypt Drive and is expected to be operational by October 2018.
The proposed design includes a receival and sorting yard and a display and sale yard, with the receival and sorting facility to be constructed next to the weighbridge at the existing waste transfer station.
“This facility will consist of a 450m² shed with a verandah extending over two drop-off lanes,” City Council Environmental Sustainability Sub-Committee presiding member councillor Des Mutton said.
“Vehicles will enter the facility via the drop off lanes where salvageable items will be removed, sorted, stored and prepared for sale.”
“The drop off area will have the capacity to service approximately six vehicles with trailers at any one time.”
Reusable items will then be transferred to the display and sale facility at the former Gambier Contracts Salvage Yard.
“Items will be displayed for sale at the Mount Gambier Reuse Market shop at 3 Eucalypt Drive,” Cr Mutton said.
“Council recognises the substantial benefits in the provision of this facility for the Mount Gambier community and the detailed designs presented in the report provide the most functional layout.”
Currently 20,000 tonnes of waste from across the region is dumped in landfill.
The proposed facility will enable the reuse or recycling of material and diversion of reusable items from landfill.
City growth general manager Judy Nagy said council had a vision for the reuse market to become a sustainability and Smart City icon in the South East.
“We have prepared and submitted an application for Smart Cities funding,” Ms Nagy said.
“It is intended that the reuse market become known as a pilot area for better understanding how new digital equipment could be used to improve council operations.”
If alterations to the proposed design are required, the total facility cost is projected to increase to approximately $780,000.
The Smart Cities funding application is for the purchase and installation of additional features and for data analysis at the pilot site.
“It will include the application of smart sensor technologies, the use of smart lighting, closed circuit television, motion sensing, bin sensors and associated data analytics,” Ms Nagy said.
“If successful, the Smart Cities application will provide the opportunity to trial these technologies and share the knowledge across other council areas and various industry sectors.”
Ms Nagy said it was envisaged the facility would be an education hub to provide workshops to teach people how to recycle, reuse and repair items, rather than adding to landfill.
Grant District Mayor Richard Sage commended City Council for pushing ahead with plans for the facility.
“It will be an extra option for people and ideally we will see less dumping in the pines,” Mr Sage said.
“If people were able to drop reusable or recyclable items at the reuse market at a reduced cost or for free that would be even better.
“A reuse market presents plenty of opportunities and people are able to pick up items that others have discarded and give things a new life – it will be a great benefit to everyone in the wider region.”
