What is organic waste?
In short, organic waste is anything that used to be alive. It includes all food and vegetable & fruit scraps (including citrus fruit), leftovers, spoiled food, meat and bones, even dairy products. It also includes all garden waste like lawn clippings, leaves and small branches.
|What goes in the organics bin?
(please place all foodwaste & pet droppings within the supplied compostable liners)
|What doesn't go in the organics bin?|
|Leftover foodwaste||Household rubbish|
|Dairy Products||Plastic bags|
|Citrus fruit||Plant pots|
|Pet droppings||Gravel or soil|
|Food Scraps||Kitty litter|
|Spoiled Food||Large branches, logs or stumps|
|Tea bags & coffee grounds||Concrete|
|Meat & bones||Fencing materials|
|Tissues||Steel and other metal|
|Paper towel||"Biodegradable" plastic|
|Cooking oils and fats (absorbed in paper towel first)||Cigarette butts|
|Small Branches||Recyclable containers|
|Garden prunings & weeds||Pizza Boxes|
Each week nearly a tonne of contamination enters green bins in Wangaratta! Once collected, it has to be picked out by hand by Council staff. This cost is borne by all ratepayers.
Why are we collecting organic waste?
Bowser Landfill is quickly filling up. If current waste disposal practices continue it is estimated that Bowser Landfill will be full within seven years. When organic waste breaks down in a landfill it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Removing organics from the waste system will help us to achieve a healthier environment and importantly extend the life of our landfill.
Where does the organic waste go?
Organic waste is sent to a commercial composting facility, where it is processed into a valuable compost product. The compost is then used to improve soil health for primary production and the health of Council’s Parks and Gardens. It is very important contamination is kept to a minimum to make sure the process works efficiently and the compost product remains high quality.
The Kitchen Caddy
Urban households will be provided with a free kitchen caddy and compostable liners to assist with the collection of food scraps, tissues and paper towel. The caddy is easy to clean and has open sides to enable aeration and eliminate odours. The caddy is specifically shaped so you easily scrape your plates into it after meals. The provided compostable liner should be used in the caddy. You will be provided approximately 150 liners which should last your household approximately 10-12 months. Additional liners can be collected from the Wangaratta Government Centre, 62-68 Ovens Street, Wangaratta.
Will I get the new bin?
To check if your property is classified under the urban waste collection area download the map below.
Council's 2015-2016 Annual Budget has implemented an annual waste collection increase of $26 per year for urban households or $0.50c per week, which will be included in your property Rate Notice. Rural households that will not receive the new bin will see no change in their collection fee.