Tumut
Indicator: Solid Waste
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
What the results tell us for Tumut
Tumut Shire Council provides a kerbside waste and recycling service for the towns of Adelong, Batlow, Brungle Talbingo and Tumut. Kerbside recycling in Tumut Shire began in early 2007, and is a joint venture between Tumut Shire Council, Valmar Support Services ‘Pinecom Resource Recovery’ and Snowy Works and Services.
The waste generation picture for Tumut Shire is incomplete because data is unavailable for some of the waste streams generated by Tumut Shire residents.
An innovative project to divert waste from landfill and into the recycling stream has been recently undertaken by Council, and this has been well supported by residents and gained widespread recognition from other Local Governments and industry bodies.
The waste stream
The total volume of waste that is addressed by Council is unknown for this reporting period as data on the recycling stream is unavailable (Table 1).
| Volumes of waste | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | % Change 04-05 to 07-08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recycled (tonnes) | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Recycled (% of total) | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| To landfill (tonnes) | 555 | 3,654 | 3,123 | 3,393 | -7%* |
| To landfill (% of total) | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Total | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
*This is the percentage change from 2005-06 to 2007-08 only, as data is not complete for the first year of the reporting period.
Data source: SWRWMG Jugiong landfill tonnage statistics
Waste to landfill
Tumut Shire Council delivers all waste collected by Council services to the Bald Hill landfill site located in Jugiong, Harden Shire. Council is a member of the SWRWMG which jointly use this facility, and began delivering putrescible waste there in May 2005. Council also runs waste depots at Adelong, Batlow, Talbingo and there is a privately run waste depot at Tumut.
Total waste deposited in landfill has dropped by 7% from 2005-06 to 2007-08, with domestic collection dropping markedly by 23%. A total of 3,393 tonnes of waste was sent to landfill in 2007-08. This represents around 300kg for each resident, a large reduction from the 430kg per capita reported in the previous reporting period. The drop in tonnage is possibly due to the introduction of kerbside recycling and the diversion of materials into this stream that would previously have been landfilled (Table 2). The fall in kerbside garbage tonnage has been countered by a large rise of 168% in waste delivered privately to landfill.
| 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 | 555.38 | 3654.3 | 3123.12 | 3393.21 | -7% |
| Domestic collection | unknown | 3354.98 | 2901.82 | 2589.91 | -23% |
| Private delivery | unknown | 299.32 | 221.3 | 803.3 | 168% |
| Commercial and industrial | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Building and demolition | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Total | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
Source: SWRWMG Jugiong landfill tonnage statistics
No data is available on illegally dumped materials in Tumut Shire.
Recycling and other actions to reduce waste
Residents of the towns of Adelong, Batlow, Brungle Talbingo and Tumut have had a kerbside recycling service since early 2007. Council has partnered in an innovative project with Valmar Support Services (disability support services) and Snowy Works and Services to create a recyclables collection and recovery system which has provided the benefits of recycling services for the community as well as employment for community members. A materials recovery facility (MRF) has been built in Tumut and is staffed through Valmar Support services (5.5 FTE positions for people with a disability). There has been an additional one FTE position created for the recycling collection vehicle driver.
The Visy Paper Mill located near Tumut has provided assistance to the MRF in terms of capital equipment supply and product purchase agreements to help ensure long term viability.
The system has received broad community support and is a working example of grass roots problem solving from small communities, where transport distances and lack of economies of scale can often make resource recovery unviable.
Council estimates that the recycling system has reduced waste to landfill by about one third each year. No data is currently available on tonnages and breakdowns of collected materials.
Rural residents of Tumut Shire can drop off recyclable materials at no cost at waste depots at Adelong, Batlow, Talbingo and Tumut. Green waste, motor oil, scrap metal and batteries are also collected for recycling at Tumut’s waste depots.
Council participates in the DrumMuster program for collection and recycling of empty clean chemical drums from rural sources.
Resource implications of waste
No data has been provided on Council’s investment in waste management.
About the data
Data were provided from SWRWMG Jugiong landfill tonnage statistics and Council staff.
References
Tumut Shire Council website, http://www.tumut.nsw.gov.au/
State of the Environment Report 2004, Tumut Solid Waste, http://www.environmentcommissioner.act.gov.au/soe/soe2004/Tumut/solidwaste.htm
NSW Department of Local Government, Comparative Information http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au.
