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The largest city in Australia, Sydney contributes to almost half of the waste generation. According to the NSW Waste Data Report 2018-2019, Sydney’s metro area produced 1.84 million tonnes of wastes, which is 50.3% of the total.
Authorities developed the NSW Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2014-21 (WARR Strategy) to promote less waste production and maximise resources to their full potential. It has six main goals:
- Decrease the waste generation for each person
- Increase recycling rates by 70% or better
- Divert dumping in landfills by 75%
- Better management of waste and building of 86 drop-off points centres over NSW
- Minimising litter materials
- Reduce the number of illegal dumping of wastes
How does the Local Council Pick Ups Waste in Sydney?
Let us look into Sydney’s waste collection first. There are pickup schedules at least once a week for both the rubbish and recycling bins from 6 am to 6 pm. And green waste is collected twice a month if you have a garden or lawn.
You can also book an appointment to collect e-waste, furniture, white goods, and bulk items as long as they are not 1.5m long or weigh above 100kg.
However, the council will not collect household chemicals and construction/demolition waste because they should avoid landfills as much as possible.
After knowing a bit about the collection system and the goals of WARR Strategy, allow us to dig a little deeper on the impact of the current state of council pickup in Sydney through the NSW Waste Data Report 2018-2019.
Fewer wastes per individual
The report shows a decrease in the average weight of waste produced per household in the region — 21.75 kg/hh/week from 22.3 kg/hh/week. But despite the drop, Sydney was still the largest contributor of waste, with at least half of the total rubbish generation.
Thus, we need to exert more effort in reducing our waste in the micro-level. Below are some tips for you to consider:
- Use reusable items such as eco-bags, tumblers, and metal straws.
- Buy in packs rather than retail sizes.
- Donate old clothes or any materials that are still in good condition.
- Dine-in as much as possible to avoid take-out waste.
- Patronise eco-friendly products.
Recycling rate remains static
The metro’s recycling rate was at 46% with a high percentage of residual waste recycled (16%) compared to the other cities (one-digit results only). Over the years, its number has ranged from 46% to 49%, even though the government is boosting its efforts each year. They even invested $802 million in the Waste Less, Recycle More Initiative.
Since we are not getting the ideal results, we need to apply more push. Recycle whenever you can to help minimise the exploitation of our resources. There are a lot of recycling ideas available on the internet for you to follow.
Landfilling rate troubles
On the other hand, the landfilling rate in Sydney was at 54%. It is also a constant number over the years. But almost 40,000 tonnes (10% of total) of recyclables were thrown in landfills instead of recycling centres. That is equivalent to about 100,000 cubic metres of landfill space taken.
The council defended that this was due to other alternative treatment decisions, which they did not fully elaborate on their report. But there is a possibility that these discarded recyclables were not fit for reprocessing.
Illegal dumping intensifies
According to a news report, there has an increase in illegal dumping all over Australia because of the global health crisis. Local councils reported a 20% to 40% rise in improper waste disposal.
Residents incline to clean more and order food deliveries and items online. These activities generate a lot of waste. And due to limited council pick-up schedules, they leave their rubbish on the curbside.
It will cost you penalties when the authorities catch you. Be a responsible citizen and check the NSW Guidelines for proper disposal. Or better book a rubbish removal service to eliminate your bulk waste immediately.
Conclusion
Looking back to the goals set by the WARR Strategy, our current state is still far from achieving them. Given the right management and Sydneysiders’ cooperation, the council pickup will undoubtedly deliver the future impact we expect.
For now, we need to support the council’s campaign for Less Waste and Recycle More Initiative. When in doubt and your local collectors are not available, you can always lean on Aussie Junk. Our team advocate a greener environment. We practice proper waste management and disposal of your rubbish without limits.
Established for more than 20 years now, we are the leading removalists in the metro. Within an hour after you call us, we will be ringing at your doorbell and removing all of your waste fast and efficiently.
For rubbish removal services in Sydney, don’t hesitate to contact us at 0435 569 921 or send us your enquiries via email here.
