Waste projects

Randwick has undertaken a diverse range of projects to respond to the waste challenge facing our society. Like many developed countries, our affluent lifestyle has provided Australians and Sydneysiders with an abundance of choice on everyday products we use and potentially discard.

This consumption of resources, often reflected as a calculation of our Ecological Footprint, has been measured and shows our society is consuming the amount of resources equivalent to 3 to 4 Planet Earth's each year. With only one Planet Earth available to all of us, this shows how important it is for Randwick, and all Local Councils to help their communities 'reduce, re-use, recycle and recover' the materials that are often thrown out as rubbish and eventually end up in landfills across the country.

Randwick has additional projects aimed at improving the level of recycling from our schools, homes and businesses; recovering the waste items put out in our red-lid rubbish bins or kerbsides as part of schedule or on-call clean-up collections and the different types of organic wastes placed into our separate green-lid garden organics bins.

These projects are often funded through NSW Government programs introduced to help Local Councils work with their communities and businesses to recover what was previously covered as waste and develop the material as a new resource that continues to re-use material rather than simply dispose of it.

A full list of projects funded and implemented by Council will be available shortly.

Randwick City Council waste reduction programs

Food scraps recycling trial

Nearly 40% of general household waste is made up of food scraps and most of this ends up in landfill. If food scraps are collected separately they can be put to good use and provide a whole host of benefits. We're hoping to roll out a full food scrap collection service to all our residents in the future. That's why we're running this trial - to help us build the best service we can.

Why collect food scraps?

If food scraps are collected they can be composted and used as nature intended, for enriching soil and growing more food. They can even be processed to create Biogas which generates clean, green electricity.

By sending food scraps to landfill where disposal costs are rising, we're paying a premium to bury useful resources.

What is the food scrap collection trial?

Since November 2013 Council has been running a food scraps collection trial involving approximately 90 blocks of multi-unit dwellings, making up approximately 5000 participating households. The information gathered through the trial will help us get a better understanding of the collection, processing and educational issues associated with this type of service and will be used in the development of  a  food scraps collection service should council decide to roll it out across the local government area.

If your building is involved, become part of our community of practice or keep informed by visiting the foodscraps page.

How do I collect and dispose of my food scraps?

Collecting food scraps

Considering the benefits, separating food scraps is easy. Use the small kitchen caddy/bench-top bin and compostable bags to collect and store your food scraps. You can collect all food scraps including:tea, coffee, dairy products, soiled paper towels or napkins, confectionery, fish and meat products for recycling. Simply fill your compostable bag with food scraps and deposit full bag in marked food waste bin (Burgundy lid bin).

To keep smells and flies out of the bin it is recommended that fish and  meat are wrapped in newspaper or similar before disposing in food waste bin.

All participating households have had a  few red lid bins (240L)  marked as food waste bins with burgundy-lid and stickers.

Help us keep contamination/non-food scraps out of these bins, please use the red-lid bin for disposal for all other non-recyclable waste.

The collections can be easily contaminated so it's important to remember NOT to put any packaging, even plastic wrap or plastic bags with the food scraps, use only the compostable liners for food scraps collections.

Most importantly NO general waste in the food scraps bins.

Where can I get more compostable bags/caddy liners? Compostable bags are available from these council facilities during office hours:

  • Randwick Administrative Centre, 30 Frances Street, Randwick
  • Randwick Community Centre, 27 Munda Street, Randwick
  • Randwick Recycling Centre, 72 Perry Street, Matraville

Educational resources available

If your  unit block is participating in the food scraps trial, Council has available  at no cost to the resident a number of resources to help educate and inform all residents.

A resident, cleaner, body corporate secretary or chairperson or strata manager can request and have provided the following items- bin storage area posters, bin stickers and food scraps recycling leaflet.

Last Updated: 6 April 2023
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