City of Sydney to trial food scraps collection

The City of Sydney is inviting 100 apartment buildings and 300 houses to join a food scraps collection trial, set to commence in mid-2019.

The trial is part of the City’s Leave Nothing to Waste action plan, which has a target of diverting more than 90% of waste from landfill by 2030. Food scraps make up one-third of red lid bins in the local area.

Food waste collected in the trial will be turned into nutrient-rich fertiliser that can be used to grow plants and improve soil. The trial will also test the best way to collect food waste from different building types.

People who sign up will receive a kitchen caddy, compostable liners and a food scraps bin (different for houses and apartments), as well as an information pack to help them get started. Residents living in apartments will need to provide contact details for building managers and selected buildings will require strata committee approval.

The City is calling for expressions of interest until 31 December 2018 for residents and building managers to register to take part in the trial. The City will assess all households that register against the trial guidelines, and those who can’t join in the first phase of the trial will receive details of other local programs and services they can use to reduce food waste and compost leftovers.

“We know our residents are looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment, so we’re really excited to start this trial,” said Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

“We currently divert 67% of residential waste from landfill, and this new kerbside collection is a crucial part of our work to achieve zero waste by 2030.

“I encourage people who live in houses or apartment buildings to apply for the trial, which we will look at expanding in 2020.”

Residents can find out more about the trial, and register online, at http://cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/foodscraps.

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