Waste collection vehicles drive environmental change in Whyalla

New collection vehicles launched by Veolia and Whyalla City Council are set to do more than pick up the towns’ recycling and waste.

Boasting environmentally-positive messages from the community on the vehicles’ sides, they'll remind residents of the need to practise sustainable waste behaviours to help protect the local environment.

The new fleet of four trucks showcase pictures of Whyalla’s most beautiful landmarks, alongside slogans that encourage people to ensure their household recycling and waste ends up in the right bin, and not in the local environment. The initiative was supported by local residents on Facebook, who rallied around the idea and submitted slogans to accompany the images.

The campaign follows the commencement of Veolia’s new kerbside collection contract with Whyalla City Council, launched on 1 October for up to seven years.

As part of the collaboration, council and Veolia aim to bring the community together to improve recycling rates and protect local biodiversity.

City of Whyalla Mayor, Clare McLaughlin said the initiative is just one way council will work with Veolia to drive a cleaner and greener city.

“We know residents are proud to live in our beautiful city and care about protecting it, which was evident in the number of environmentally-focused slogans we received from the community for these vehicles.

“There’s no better motivator to continue this focus than seeing pictures of our very own town — accompanied by this positive messaging — throughout local streets every day.

“I’m thrilled to see the new vehicles in operation, and hope they remind people to really think about what they’re putting in their bins,” she said.

Veolia’s State Manager, Ben Flanagan said the campaign signified the collective efforts needed to drive positive environmental change.

“Keeping the community clean and protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility and we all need to do our bit. This means ensuring that our at-home waste behaviours are consistently correct.

“Where residents can’t avoid or reuse their waste, we ask them to ensure that all of their household recycling is put in the yellow-lidded bin, so that we can collect it and turn it into something new,” he said.

Residents are also reminded that they can make use of the Whyalla Waste And Resources Transfer Station (WRTS) for items that can’t be placed in their household bins.

“Over the past year, residents have been making good use of the WRTS and this is supporting a more sustainable outcome for waste management in Whyalla.

“We hope this continues long into the future,” he said.

The slogans and imagery being displayed on the collection vehicles are as follows:

• Whyalla jetty: ‘Keep Whyalla Beautiful’ (photo by Ben — The Drone Way; slogan by Rachel Coles) — red bin collection vehicle
• Wild Dog Hill: ‘Keep our space free of waste’ (photo by Gail Caveides; slogan by Melanie Westbrook) — red bin collection vehicle
• Cuttlefish: ‘Educate, Participate, Co-Habitate’ (photo by Carl Charter; slogan by Alex Robins) — yellow bin collection vehicle
• Point Lowly: ‘Keep our ocean blue and our Eyre green’ (photo by Mark McInnes; slogan by Ryan Wake) — green bin collection vehicle