Recycling hits tipping point

THE council’s talking trash – and the city should be proud.
In the 2005-06 financial year, the City of Greater Dandenong says residents recycled 51 per cent of household waste.
This equates to five kilograms of recyclable waste and 5.8kg of garden waste per household diverted from landfill each week.
The council said in a statement that recycling outstripped the general waste output of each household, which averaged 10.4kg a week.
City mayor Youhorn Chea praised residents for their efforts and encouraged everyone to consider the steps they could take to further reduce the amount of waste delivered to landfill.
“You may be surprised how easy it is. Simple things like taking multi-use bags to the supermarket when shopping can make a big difference,” he said.
“Try purchasing products with minimal or recycled material in their packaging and recycle your printer cartridges and mobile phones at designated collection points.
“Composting can convert food and garden waste into nutrients that can be returned to the garden to support the growth of new plants.”
The City of Greater Dandenong also has a green waste recycling service, which the council said diverts 12,000 tonnes of waste from landfill to compost every year.
– Shaun Inguanzo