Bega Valley
Indicator: Solid Waste
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
What the results tell us for Bega Valley
Bega Valley Shire Council’s waste management activities follow the 2001 Waste Minimisation and Resource Recovery Strategy, currently reviewed for 2006-2011. The Council’s current targets for reducing the volume of waste to landfill (set in 2003) for 2014 are a 66% reduction in domestic waste, 63% reduction in commercial and industrial waste and a 76% reduction in construction and demonstration waste. Changes in the methods used to estimate the volumes of landfill waste mean that the data are not comparable over the years of the reporting period or with previous reporting periods.
The waste stream
Bega Valley Shire is part of one of the most popular family holiday destination regions in NSW. As such, resource use in Bega Valley Shire is influenced by influxes of tourists at different times during each year. Visitor numbers vary from one year to the next and comprise both short-term visitors and non-resident ratepayers. Many of the visitors bring different expectations in relation to resource recovery and recycling, and managing the waste stream in such circumstances thus presents many challenges. In the 2004 RSoER, Council estimated that the impact of tourism on Bega Valley Shire's waste to landfill is an additional six 18 cubic metre truckloads a week for the six weeks over the Christmas holidays, corresponding to around 100 tonnes.
For 2007-08, the total waste that needed to be addressed by Council (Table 1) was the equivalent of approximately 780 kilograms for every Bega Valley Shire resident. This per resident figure was also inflated by Sapphire Coast tourists. Recycling efforts by Bega Valley Shire Council and the community reduced that figure to 660 kilograms of waste that went to landfill. Around 15% of the total waste generated in the Shire in 2007-08 was diverted from landfill for recycling.
| Volumes of waste | 2004-05 (tonnes) | 2005-06 (tonnes) | 2006-07 (tonnes) | 2007-08 (tonnes) | % Change 04-05 to 07-08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recycled | - | 3,557 | 3,659 | 3,927 | |
| Recycled (% of total*) | 0% | 20% | 22% | 15% | 15%** |
| To landfill*** | 6,105 | 14,000 | 12,969 | 21,672 | 255% |
| Landfill (% of total*) | 100% | 80% | 78% | 85% | -15%** |
| Total | 6,105 | 17,556 | 16,628 | 25,599 | 319% |
* Percentage of total waste stream (landfill plus resource recovery)
**change in percentage of total (percentage points up or down)
*** Changes to estimation methods mean data not comparable from year to year
Source: Bega Valley Shire Council
Waste to landfill
The types of waste going to landfill during the last year of the reporting period are shown in Table 2. The Table suggests a significant increase in waste to landfill over the reporting period – especially between 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 and between 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. These apparent jumps reflect changes in estimation methodology rather than actual increases in volumes landfilled.
Council continues to refine the way it estimates waste to landfill volumes in the Council area and the total volumes from year to year cannot be directly compared as different estimation methods have been used. Council does not have a weighbridge and has based all estimates of mass on volume conversion factors from DECC. In particular, in mid-2007 the volume versus mass estimates changed as Council began using the DECC Vehicle Load Factors. A direct comparison within the reporting period should therefore not be made.
| Type of waste going to landfill | 2004-05 (tonnes) | 2005-06 (tonnes) | 2006-07 (tonnes) | 2007-08 (tonnes) | % Change 04-05 to 07-08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total household | 1,165 | 5,147 | 8,812 | 15,766 | 1,253% |
| Domestic collection | 1,165 | 5,147 | 8,812 | 15,766 | 1,253% |
| Private delivery | Not available | Inc above | Inc above | Inc above | |
| Commercial and industrial | 192.75 | 8,853 | 2,557 | 4,180 | 2069% |
| Building and demolition | 4747 | Included above | 1,600 | 1,726 | -64% |
| Total | 6,105 | 14,000 | 12,969 | 21,672 | 255% |
Source: Bega Valley Shire Council
Unfortunately records on volume / mass, type or locations of illegal dumping have not been maintained since the last report.
Recycling and other actions to reduce waste
Since 2005-2006 the volume of recycled materials has gone up by 10% (from 3,557 tonnes to 3,927 tonnes) – reaching 120kg per resident in 2007-08.
Participation in the kerbside recycling and garden organics collection has been reported anecdotally as high though there is no hard data with respect this other than that reported above.
On 1 July 2005 a new kerbside contract commenced. This for the first time included a 240l fortnightly recycling service, 240l monthly garden organics collection, and reduced the domestic waste weekly collection from 240l to 120l. In addition the new contract covered an increased area for collection.
In July 2005 Council began a new kerbside waste collection service. This provided for a co-mingled recyclables collection. The contractor collects recyclables in a co-mingled 240l bin and delivers all material collected to a bulking station at Bega. This bulking station is operated by another contractor, ‘The Waste People’. The collection contractor delivers all co-mingled recycling to the bulking station where it is assessed and gross contaminants removed. Contamination rates are low (less than 6% during the reporting period). The recyclables are then compacted into large bulk bins and transferred by road to the Moruya Materials Recycling Facility (MRF), a service established in partnership with Eurobodalla Shire Council. Council notes that the shift from crate-based collection prior to 2005 to co-mingled bins saw a tripling of tonnages of material recovered
Garden organic material collection commenced as a trial in the Shire during this reporting period at Tura Beach and Merimbula on 1 July 2005. Data on the success or otherwise of this trial is not available however the trial was expanded in 2006-07 across all collection areas. This service provides for 240l monthly collection kerbside of all garden organic materials. The decline in garden organics dropped off at Council facilities during 2006-07 reflects the impact of the kerbside collection.
| Material recycled | 2004-05 (tonnes) | 2005-06 (tonnes) | 2006-07 (tonnes) | 2007-08 (tonnes) | % Change 04-05 to 07-08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acid Lead Batteries | 1t | ||||
| Clothing | Not available | ||||
| Cooking oil and fat | Not available | ||||
| Demolition | |||||
| Glass | |||||
| Green waste | 2,190 cu m | 2,214.9cu m | 2,294cu m | ||
| Liquid paper board | |||||
| Metals (ferrous) | 1,408t | 800t | Not available | ||
| Paper | |||||
| Plastic | |||||
| Steel cans | |||||
| Tyres (Units) | 243 | ||||
| Other | 2.5t salvage 3kl motor oil | ||||
| Total tonnes diverted* | na | 3,556.74 | 3,659 | 3,926.51 | na |
Data source: Bega Valley Shire Council
* Total tonnage from co-mingled bins only
The recycling data above in Table 4 are only from the kerbside collection. The total amount of recycled material collected in the Shire is not able to be reported accurately. The main data gaps relate to recycled materials collected by commercial contractors direct and materials dropped off directly at Council’s facilities – tonnages from these sources are unknown. Council acknowledges that this data management situation needs to be rectified.
Table 4 shows steady increases in the tonnage of recyclable material collected via the bins and sent via the bulking station to the Materials Recycling Facility at Moruya.
Resource implications of waste
Council's investment in waste management over the last three years of the reporting period is shown in Table 5. Its investment level for 2007-08 represented a cost of approximately $189 for every resident in the Shire, although this cost needs to be offset aga inst the considerable value to the Shire of tourism (see indicator results for Economy).
| Period | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | $3,850,000 | $5,870,000 | $6,020,000 | $6,250,000 | 62% |
Source: Bega Valley Shire Council
At 30 June 2008, Council had a total active tipping area of 3.5 hectares at Bermagui, Eden and Merimbula. Landfill sites at Wyndham, Towamba and Wonboyn ceased operation in 2000–01 as part of a broad closure plan to replace various small landfills with larger, better managed facilities. Rehabilitation was completed or in train at the above three closed sites and a number of others (see Contaminated Sites). Council currently has three active landfills – at Merimbula, Bermagui and Eden, which are nearing the end of their working capacity (in 2, 4 and 5 years respectively). Total landfill area was 32 hectares in 2008.
With the existing sites expected to be filled to capacity in the near future, Council is establishing a new landfill site in the Council area. Council is working on establishing a Central Waste Facility (CWF) as a key component of the 2020 Vision on Waste strategy. Council believes that as a central modern engineered landfill within the Shire, the CWF will be an essential community asset that will ensure future waste services are cost effective and will minimise impacts on the environment. Council anticipates establishing the CWF within the next two years.
About the data
Data were provided from Bega Valley Shire Council records.
Changes in the estimation methodology for tonnages to landfill mean that data are not comparable year by year. Council recognises that progress with regard the waste reduction targets will not be able to be reported unless record keeping is greatly improved.
Council does not operate a weighbridge though recycling data (volume and mass) and data on contamination are available for the materials sent by the Bulking Station contractor to the Moruya MRF.
The Bega Valley Shire Council measures waste by a number of means:
- volume estimates in loose cubic metres delivered to the waste depots by means of self-haul and converted to tonnes by documented conversion factors
- volume estimates based on size of garbage trucks and skip bins and how full each is, and converted to tonnes by Council's conversion factors
- weighbridge data from shipments of recyclables to market
- Stockpile volume estimates converted to tonnes using documented conversion factors.
Data and records for recycling materials dropped off at Council’s facilities are unfortunately unavailable for the 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 periods.
Per person calculations are on the basis of estimated residential population of 32,655 people as at 30 June 2007 and an unofficial estimate of 32,970 for 30 June 2008 (official data has not yet been released for that period by the ABS). It does not take into account tourist numbers/impacts.
References
NSW Department of Local Government, Comparative Information http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au.
Office of the Commissioner for the Environment (2004) Australian Capital Region State of the Environment Report 2004, Office of the Commissioner for the Environment, Canberra (see indicator 'Land contamination' for Bega Valley Shire).
