The first waste education centre between Melbourne and Sydney is being built at the Albury Waste Management Centre, adding to the work that has landed Albury Council an award.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The $500,0000 centre is expected to be completed by March, and waste team leader Andrea Baldwin said it would be sought-after.
"It's a unique thing to have and will be aimed toward youth and the community in general," she said.
Related:
"We will look at supporting a lot of different environmental and sustainability groups there as well."
The centre will explore how waste is diverted from landfill, which has been the focus of a Local Government NSW Excellence in Environment Award.
Ms Baldwin said since 2009, 97,000 tonnes of organic waste had been composted instead of going into the ground.
"There's been a 22 per cent reduction in what's being buried, which is pretty significant," she said.
"54 per cent [of waste] is going to landfill, so 46 per cent has been diverted.
"We've still got some effort to go over the next seven or eight months to meet that [Halve Waste] target.
"The community needs to recognise they've actually done the bulk of this.
"We need them to continue that, and to even do 10 per cent more than what they're doing now."
Another area in focus is the actions of residents using the Albury landfill directly; some are disposing of all their rubbish in the push-pit.
Albury mayor Kevin Mack said people could better pack their trailers to ensure they are recycling.
"If they can stack their trailer in the right way - have recycling on top because that's the first point - it's like the bin system," he said.
"Otherwise they end up throwing it all away."
Cr Mack said the waste management centre "speaks for itself".
"This facility is one of the most highly-regarded in the country because of what we're doing," he said.
"With the education centre coming online, it gives staff a better platform to educate about what we do.
"Years ago you'd come up here and you couldn't breathe, but it's quite clear we're working hard to take away the smell and make the environment a better space.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"We're not just doing it for Albury, we're doing it for the five regional councils [involved in Halve Waste].
"It's a significant outcome for everyone."
