Category Archives: Waste and recycling

Council recycles road materials to create better roads

April 8, 2021

Redland City Council is using recycled road materials to deliver better road conditions for the community.

Mayor Karen Williams said the re-use of profilings (the waste by-product collected when roads are resealed) offered a number of benefits to both Council and road users.

“Recycling the profilings and using them in place of gravel not only results in cost savings for Council, but also offers a high quality structural surface and reduces dust,” she said.

“Profilings are a mix of surface bitumen and asphalt and some of the gravel below which are removed as part of the road resealing process, and are reused as part of Council’s support of the circular economy, where materials and products are recirculated for as long as possible.

“They have been used to build Council roads on the Southern Moreton Bay Islands (SMBI) for the past few years as part of the Green Seal program.

“We have also completed several big projects on the mainland, including Billiau Road in Mount Cotton and School of Arts Road in Redland Bay, which used thousands of cubic metres of profilings.”

The road profilings are screened and stored at Council’s quarry and then transported to sites as required.

Division 5 Councillor Mark Edwards said profilings had also been used for SMBI road maintenance for about the past two years.

“There is a need for continuous maintenance of unsealed gravel roads and roadside drains on the islands and Council’s road maintenance crews use road profilings – laying it, watering and rolling it to form a better surface,” Cr Edwards said.

“The profilings compact and hold better, reduce dust and have greater longevity than gravel alone.”

Island residents support e-waste clean-up

March 17, 2021

Redland City Council has thanked its island residents for their support of an electronic waste drive which collected almost two tonnes of items over 16 days.

The Council initiative allowed residents to drop outdated technology waste into special bins at island-based Recycling and Waste Centres.

Mayor Karen Williams said it was not surprising that roughly half the e-waste was collected on North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), our largest island community.

“Russell, Macleay and Coochiemudlo islands folk also put in a great effort, filling nearly five containers across the three islands.

“Residents were also able to collect a free tree when they dropped off an item for collection on 13 and 14 February,” Cr Williams said.

“During the ‘trees for e-waste’ weekend, Council gave away more than 60 free trees, which is an outstanding effort and good news for our island environments.”

Coochiemudlo Recycling and Waste Centre gatehouse operator John Mahony with some of the native plants for which residents swapped their e-waste.

Cr Williams said Australians generated about 73kg of e-waste per household each year with estimations that about 80% of that ended up in landfill.

“E-waste contains glass, copper, plastics and precious metals, which are able to be processed and eventually used in the manufacture of new products,” Cr Williams said.

“Stopping this waste from going into landfill supports Council’s commitment to a circular economy and the State Government’s goal of a zero-waste-to-landfill future.”

Cr Williams said this was Council’s second annual e-waste collection for our island residents.

“While this latest collection has now finished, Council encourages all island residents to hold onto their e-waste until the next local drive, or to take it to one of the mainland Recycling and Waste Centres wherever possible,” Cr Williams said.

“Mainland recycling and waste centres offer a full-time e-collection service where e-waste is recycled.”

In the 2019/2020 financial year, Council recycled 257 tonnes of e-waste.

Join the events to Clean Up Australia Day on Redlands Coast

February 22, 2021

Redland City Council is encouraging the community to become involved in this year’s Clean Up Australia Day.

Mayor Karen Williams said local residents could join an existing Clean Up group or create their own, with registrations for the March 7 event now open.

Businesses, community groups, schools and individuals can all take part.

“Getting involved will benefit the Redlands Coast community by creating a cleaner environment and protecting our waterways for everyone to enjoy,” Cr Williams said.

“Clean Up Australia Day is as much about preventing rubbish from entering the environment as it is about cleaning it up.”

Council will supply bins to event organisers, if requested by Friday 26 February, for waste and recyclable materials collected on the day.

Clean Up Australia chairman Pip Kiernan said now was the time for all Australians to step up and help.

“Last year saw disruption to our lives, not least of all to our local environments which have been impacted by increased uptake of single-use, disposable items,” Ms Kiernan said.

“COVID-19 has significantly impacted local environments with a surge in single-use disposable items such as takeaway coffee cups, food packaging, masks and sanitised wipes – all of which have polluted parks, bushland, streets, waterways and beaches.”

According to The Pact Group Community Attitudes to Waste and Recycling Report (July 2020), more than a third (34%) of Australian households reported producing more packaging waste during lockdown periods compared to previous years. More than half (55%) of those surveyed said they were now more concerned about product packaging waste than they were in 2019.

“By planning ahead and signing up to a Clean Up event, you are making a pledge to help conserve the environment for the long-term future, and taking an important action by stepping up for your community,” Ms Kiernan said.

Cr Williams said that in response to COVID-19, additional conditions would be put in place to ensure the health and safety of Clean Up volunteers. There will be limits to volunteer numbers at each event and Clean Up kits will include hand sanitiser and QR codes for registration.

Redlands Coast Clean Up events have already been registered at the following locations:

goochie mudlo (Coochiemudlo Island)
Victoria Point foreshore
Cascade Gardens and Ern Dowling Parklands, Victoria Point
South Street Conservation Area, Cleveland
Point Lookout, Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island)
Peel Street, Redland Bay
Merrill and Rob Ovendon Park Creek Catchment, Birkdale
Wynnum Redlands Canoe Club, Thorneside.

The Clean Up Australia Day campaign also includes a Business Clean Up Day on March 2 and School Clean Up Day on March 5. To sign up to an event, register your own or make a donation, visit cleanup.org.au.

E-waste collection planned for island communities

January 15, 2021

Redland City Council is hoping to collect three tonnes of electronic waste (e-waste) for recycling during an annual collection drive for the island communities in February 2021.

Mayor Karen Williams said e-waste was one of the fastest growing types of waste worldwide and most could be recycled.

“Australians generate about 73kg of e-waste per household each year and it’s estimated that, nationally, more than 80 per cent is sent to landfill,” she said.

“Our mainland recycling and waste centres offer a full-time collection service where e-waste is recycled, and now this special collection will give our island residents the opportunity to thoughtfully dispose of unwanted e-waste items in their homes.”

Cr Williams said e-waste contained valuable materials such as glass, copper, plastics and precious metals.

“These materials are able to be processed and eventually used in the manufacture of new products, which supports not only Council’s commitment to a circular economy but the State Government’s goal of a zero waste to landfill future.”

Cr Williams said Council ran a similar collection on the islands in February last year and it proved to be a very popular initiative, with residents dropping off more than two tonnes of e-waste.

“We are hoping to increase that amount to three tonnes this year,” she said.

“As an incentive, we are also offering 100 free native plants in exchange for e-waste on the weekend of 13 and 14 February.”

Island residents can deliver their e-waste to the recycling and waste centres on Coochiemudlo, Macleay, Russell and North Stradbroke (Minjerribah) islands from Sunday 7 to Monday 22 February 2021 during normal opening hours.

Electronic waste includes:

Televisions and sound systems
Computer equipment and printers
Mobile phones
Power drills, fans and vacuums
Small kitchen and bathroom appliances

Large whitegoods, such as refrigerators and washing machines, can be delivered to recycling and waste centres as scrap metal at any time during normal opening hours.

Island businesses can deliver household equivalent amounts of e-waste at no charge and are urged to contact Council on 3829 8999 (8am-5pm, Monday to Friday) for advice if they have larger amounts to dispose of.

On the weekend of 13-14 February, the first 25 residents at each of the four island recycling and waste centres can swap their e-waste for a free native plant, courtesy of Redlands IndigiScapes Centre.

There is a limit of one tree per household.

Island recycling and waste centres locations:

Coochiemudlo Island, Elizabeth Street: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am-12pm. Saturday and Sunday 10am-2pm
Macleay Island, Eastern Road: Monday-Friday 8am-2pm. Saturday and Sunday 8am-4pm
Russell Island, Davidson Road: Monday-Friday 8am-2pm. Saturday and Sunday 8am-4pm
North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), Dickson Way: Monday-Friday 8am-2pm. Saturday and Sunday 7.30am-3pm

Council installs baskets to keep litter from Raby Bay canals

January 7, 2021

Redland City Council will install litter baskets in 272 Raby Bay stormwater catch pits in a move to significantly reduce the amount of rubbish entering the canals.

Mayor Karen Williams said the installation, funded through a Federal Government Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant, should be completed by the end of March 2021.

“Local waterways are important to our community and Council is committed to improving waterway health for the benefit of both residents and aquatic life,” she said.

“The Raby Bay canals are cleaned about four to six times each year and the amount of rubbish collected tends to be event driven.

“If there is heavy rain, it typically flushes a lot of debris and rubbish into the canals where it gets stuck on the revetment walls and sits in front of houses.

“Shopping trolleys are regularly found, along with palm fronds, leaves and logs, and pollutants such as plastic, bottles and other rubbish that gets washed off the streets.

“The litter baskets are expected to capture much of this material so it doesn’t make its way into our naturally wonderful environment.”

Litter baskets are being installed in Raby Bay stormwater catch pits.

Federal Member for Bowman Andrew Laming said clean canals meant better water quality.

“Redlanders are mostly doing the right thing but as a last line of defense these litter baskets will make sure the waste ends up where it belongs, and not in our waterways,” he said.

Division 2 Councillor Peter Mitchell said the litter baskets would be retro fitted into all existing catch pits in Raby Bay and along the canals.

“Council regularly receives calls from residents concerned about rubbish in the estate so any measures to reduce that will be welcomed,” he said.

“There is also a lot of aquatic life in the canals including dolphins, dugongs, turtles, fish, stingrays, prawns, squid and even pockets of seagrass and coral – which will all benefit from a less-polluted environment.”

The litter baskets will be cleaned four times a year, with Council to collate data on the type of rubbish and pollutants collected.

There are litter baskets installed at 43 other locations throughout the city – at Redland Bay and Birkdale.

Wastewater to hydrogen – Council seeks partners in local renewable hydrogen project

January 5, 2021

Redland City Council is calling for expressions of interest from partners interested in being involved in the development of a local renewable hydrogen economy on the Redlands Coast.

Council is seeking interest from parties to finance and develop a business case to fund and build a pilot plant to convert wastewater to renewable hydrogen at the Mount Cotton Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said Council today released the expression of interest (EOI) to attract funding to develop a business case which would address Council’s ‘Redlands Coast Wastewater to Energy Feasibility Study August 2020’.

“Our aim is to identify partners who can help build a pilot plant that integrates renewable hydrogen production into the Mount Cotton WWTP,” Cr Williams said.

“Hydrogen is in the spotlight worldwide as a viable source of renewable energy and Redlands Coast is looking to be a part of it.

“Multiple hydrogen technologies are being developed on the Redlands Coast, with QUT’s Institute for Future Environments basing its renewable hydrogen projects at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Redlands Research Centre.”

Council investigations to date are an extension of the research and development completed by QUT and show how these technologies can be integrated into local communities.

Cr Williams said there were many benefits of establishing a hydrogen economy on the Redlands Coast, including:

cheaper, greener energy for local residents and businesses
creating jobs and attracting investment to the region
‘decarbonising’ the local economy
providing green power for remote and island communities
providing efficiencies for energy-heavy assets such as wastewater treatment plants.

The business case has the potential to be used as a blueprint for other wastewater treatment plant integration projects.

To download a copy of the EOI, please go to redland.qld.gov.au/info/20164/tenders_and_contracting/225/current_tenders

The EOI closes on 12 February 2021.

Council devices keep rubbish from waterways

December 8, 2020

Redlands Coast residents are being asked to think about how they dispose of their rubbish after a newly-installed trash rack captured 8.5 tonnes of waste from local stormwater in just two weeks.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the newly-installed trash rack was part of Council’s network of 587 stormwater protection devices that helped prevent waste ending up in Moreton Bay.

“Last year Council removed about 280 cubic metres of litter, vegetation and other material from our network of stormwater protection devices – that’s enough to fill more than four average-size backyard swimming pools,” Cr Williams said.

“Anything from trees and logs through to toys, balls and takeaway cups are collected in these devices, and without them this material would have ended up in our local creeks and Moreton Bay.

“With a wet summer expected, there is likely to be increased stormwater runoff into our local catchments, so we are urging residents to think about where you throw your rubbish to ensure it doesn’t end up in our creeks.”

Division 10 Councillor Paul Bishop said the Birkdale trash rack was installed on Agnes Street, alongside a public park, following concerns about localised flooding and pollutants entering Woodgate Canal.

“Two weeks after it was installed, Council officers inspected the trash rack as part of storm preparedness and noted it was already half full,” Cr Bishop said.

“Further heavy rain filled it further, resulting in it being emptied three months ahead of schedule.

“The trash rack will help reduce road flooding by preventing rubbish from blocking the drain.

“Council officers have advised that no animals have ever been caught in council rubbish traps or gross pollutant devices.”

Redland City Council uses a range of Stormwater Quality Improvement Devices, including bioretention basins, bio-swales, grass swales, vegetated swales, detention basins, sedimentation basins, constructed wetlands, inground and open gross pollutant traps (GPTs), trash racks, litter baskets and sediment traps.

Council urges residents to recycle right during National Recycling Week

November 10, 2020

Redlands Coast residents are encouraged to examine their recycling habits during National Recycling Week (9 to 15 November) and take advantage of a new station to dispose of unusual household items.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said she was excited to launch the revamped IndigiScapes Recycling Station at Capalaba.

“This station was developed to help people recycle items that are unable to be recycled through either kerbside recycling collections, at our recycling and waste centres or at other community drop-off points,” she said.

“Council currently recycles around 45 per cent of its waste however we still have a long way to go to get to a zero waste to landfill vision set for Queensland.

“This station supports both IndigiScape’s sustainability messages and Council’s Green Living theme within the Corporate Plan, and will help residents to reach the goal of 95 per cent of resources recovered by 2050.

“Council always encourages people to reduce, reuse and then recycle, so this station helps to support that message and to help keep Redlands Coast naturally wonderful.”

Items suitable for drop off at the IndigiScapes Recycling Station include mobile phones and chargers, art supplies, x-rays, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, empty beauty product packaging, toothbrushes and empty toothpaste tubes, thongs and L.O.L surprise toys.

Cr Williams also encouraged residents to use National Recycling Week as an opportunity to consider their daily recycling habits.

“Recycling contamination rates are on the rise, and are at 11 per cent for the 2019/2020 year,” she said.

“A 2019 audit of recycling bins on Redlands Coast revealed they are showing high rates of contamination for plastics, mostly soft plastics and bagged plastic, and food scraps.”

Items which should be placed in the red-lid bin, not the yellow-lid bin include soft plastics (bread bags, cereal box liners, pasta packets, chip packets, frozen veggie packets, biscuit packets) and bubble wrap, hard plastic toys and drink bottles, nappies, polystyrene and food scraps.

“Other ways you can reduce your waste and recycle right are to ensure you don’t put recycling in your red-lid bin, get a larger recycling bin if you need it, and get a green waste bin.”

Council will also launch a 12-month trial of the ASPIRE online trading platform, through which Redlands Coast businesses will be able to source and dispose of unwanted items that would normally go to landfill.

Cr Williams said Redland City Council – along with Gold Coast and Logan councils – would participate in the CCIQ ecoBiz ASPIRE Pilot so businesses could access the online marketplace to trade waste and defray waste disposal costs.

“The ASPIRE platform has the potential to deliver environmental and economic benefits for the region,” she said.

“What is no longer useful to one organisation can become a cost-effective manufacturing input – or salvaging opportunity – for another, so this is a great initiative.”

The CCIQ ecoBiz ASPIRE Pilot will be officially launched at the 2020 Redlands Coast Business and Jobs Expo at Alexandra Hills on Thursday 19 November.

For more information about recycling on Redlands Coast visit redland.qld.gov.au/recycling

For more information about the ASPIRE Pilot, visit aspiresme.com

Recycling trial targets organic waste on Karragarra Island

October 23, 2020

A community-based food organics recycling scheme will be trialled on Karragarra Island.

The research project is a collaboration between Redland City Council, The University of Queensland’s Centre for Recycling of Organic Waste and Nutrients (CROWN) and three island-based community groups.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said Council and the island communities were interested in developing practical and economical ways to manage and use organic garden and food residues.

“Garden and food organics account for about half of domestic waste collected from kerbside waste bins by Council each year,” she said.

“In a move to divert some of this waste from landfill, Council currently offers island residents and businesses the option of taking garden organics and vegetation residues to the recycling and waste centres.

“Last year about 7321 tonnes of organic material was collected from Redlands Coast islands, including about 235 tonnes from Karragarra, and was shipped to the mainland for composting and other uses, at considerable cost to Council.”

Division 5 Councillor Mark Edwards said Council was aiming for the islands to become circular economies, with more waste retained for beneficial use on the islands, and the organics trial was a good example of what was achievable.

“Participating residents will take their garden waste to Karragarra Community Garden, where it will be composted and used to grow fruit and vegetables,” he said.

“Running Wild Youth Conservation Culture and Southern Moreton Bay Islands Permaculture are also involved in the research project.

“We hope to deliver a model for a successful community-based recycling scheme for garden and food waste which can be transferred and adapted for other Moreton Bay islands and community groups further afield.”

CROWN Director Johannes Biala said the trial was a fantastic opportunity to assess the extent to which a community-based organics recycling scheme could reduce landfilling of organic waste, and instead compost and use it on the island.

“There is often some apprehension about composting food waste, but we will develop and test a small-scale, solar-powered, forced aeration composting system that is adequate and inexpensive for processing food residues in community-based organics recycling schemes,” Mr Biala said.

“What makes this project very different from many others is the incredible enthusiasm and support from council and the community groups for what we have set out to do.

“This gives great hopes that the Karragarra Island community organics recycling scheme will continue to thrive and be a model for other communities long after the project has been completed.”

Residents are being surveyed about what they currently do with their garden and food waste, and their preferences regarding the operation of a future community food waste capture and composting scheme.

The composting system is expected to be built and operational by March 2021 and the project will end in July 2021.

The project is funded through a Goodman Foundation Moreton Bay (Quandamooka) Research Grant.

Residents encouraged to go green with waste recycling

October 14, 2020

Redlands Coast residents are encouraged to make their neighbours green with envy and help reduce waste to landfill through the use of a green waste bin.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said Council offered a number of kerbside bin options to help residents best manage their household waste across their general, recycling and green waste.

“We live in such a naturally wonderful place and I know it’s in our nature to want to rethink our waste and the impact it has on our community,” she said.

“Green waste bins are an ideal way to save you time and money and ensure garden waste can be recycled rather than ending up in landfill.

“Up to 30 per cent of general household waste can be diverted from landfill by residents using a green waste bin.

“Council is urging residents to consider ordering a green waste bin and rethink the way they dispose of their waste.”

Cr Williams said there was no set-up fee to obtain a green waste bin, which is available to mainland residents only at this time, and no set-up fee to swap or exchange existing bins when ordering a green waste bin at the same time.

“The use of green bins will allow Council to turn valuable green waste into organic garden products such as soil enhancers and mulch,” Cr Williams said.

“Having the extra green waste bin will also save residents trips to our recycling and waste centres, and will provide a safe way to reduce the risk of fire and storm damage posed by overgrown gardens.

“The green waste bin is collected fortnightly on the alternative week to the recycling bin.”

Cr Williams said correct disposal of waste through green waste bins would also help reduce Council’s costs in managing waste services to the city.

Residents can mix and match their bin sizes to suit their individual household needs, with bins available for waste (140L and 240L), recycling (140L, 240L and 340L) and green (240L, mainland only). Different annual fees apply.

To order a green waste bin for as little as approximately $1.20 per week or to change a bin size, contact Council on 3829 8999 or order online at redland.qld.gov.au/waste.

Redland City Council News

The latest news from Redland City Council