As a champion of the Circular Economy – especially recycling and waste reduction in the Macedon Ranges, I am proud to say the Macedon Ranges has been a local government leader in innovation in this area, especially in:
4 Bin System Initiative:
In 2019/20, the Macedon Ranges Shire Council was able to divert 74% of waste from landfill through a 4 bin system including FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics).
Transfer Stations
Macedon Ranges Transfer Stations (Resource Recovery Centres – or in old fashion terms ‘the tip’) continually looks for sustainable ways to collect difficult to recycle materials that would usually end up in landfill to be used by companies to create new products. This includes fabrics, polystyrene and more recently video tapes.
It has been important that processes are put in place to ensure residents and businesses know that what they are placing out for recycling is going to another use – preferably its most highest use! Remember the REDCycle Program of taking plastic bags back to supermarkets for recycling? We don’t want to replicate this…
It takes a village…
I am not saying I have single handedly set up these initiatives, but it is an important role of a councillor to determine what a community’s priorities should be and take a leadership position to get the job done bringing along the collective group of Councillors, Council staff and the community.
For example, together with a fellow councillor of the time (Helen Radnedge), we met with a young person concerned about Council’s use of single use plastics, which was the start of the successful Single Use Plastic Policy!
Read more blog articles in my latest News
CR JENNIFER ANDERSON 