MOUNT Gambier City Council will continue to explore potential waste management and recycling opportunities, including the use of crushed glass in road construction.
A report received at council’s monthly meeting highlighted a number of alternative options for “low-value” recyclable materials.
This follows three council representatives attending a waste strategy summit in Sydney in June.
Cr Ian Von Stanke, Cr Josh Lynagh and city infrastructure general manager Nick Serle returned from the summit with information about strategies councils across Australia have implemented since China introduced its National Sword policy.
According to the report, reducing organics going to landfill is the biggest immediate opportunity for the city, with over 2000 tonnes of organics being sent to Caroline Landfill every year from kerbside rubbish bins.
Council will consider changes to the kerbside configuration, including collecting organics bins weekly and rubbish and recycling bins fortnightly.
Gambier Earth Movers will trial the crushing of broken glass and plastics.
The material could be used as a base material for paths and roads in bitumen, asphalt or concrete, however it will require South Australian EPA approval.
Council has allocated funds in its 2018/19 budget to purchase an expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling machine to convert EPS waste into solid blocks.
The blocks will be sold to recyclers, where the material is turned into new products.
Polystyrene will be accepted at the waste transfer station.
The report found waste to energy technology was improving, however the cost was prohibitive and the environmental outcome was less beneficial than recycling.
