Queanbeyan
Indicator: Solid Waste
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
Please note: Text or data highlighted in this colour represent an update to this indicator for the period 2008/09.
What the results tell us for Queanbeyan
The amount of waste generated by Queanbeyan Council area residents has risen a small amount over the reporting period 2004-09. About half the waste stream in the Queanbeyan area, including garden organics, is recycled and the remainder goes to landfill in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
The waste stream
Urban residents of the Queanbeyan Council area have a three bin waste and recycling collection system and have access to two bulk collections of household waste from their property each year. Household garbage is collected weekly, recycling fortnightly, and most households have a ‘greenwaste’ bin for recycling garden organics, which is also collected fortnightly. Rural residents organise their own waste collection privately, or deliver it to landfill themselves, and have access to drop off points for recyclables. All residents may drop off additional green waste at the City Council's processing facility in Queanbeyan. Collected green waste is processed by Council into landscaping products and then sold at low cost to residents or used in maintenance of public gardens and sporting ovals. There are no active landfills in the Queanbeyan Council area. Council and residents transport waste to landfill a short distance into Canberra and use the landfill at Symonston. Collected recyclables are also transported into Canberra for processing.
The total waste that needed to be addressed by the City Council in 2008-09 was 19858.1 tonnes (Table 1). While this amount is a rise of 43% on the amount generated in 2004-05 a slightly higher proportion of it has been diverted to recycling in the last two years. Overall, about half the waste stream is recycled and half goes to landfill. This proportion has remained similar over the period. Queanbeyan City Council area's waste stream represents a total generation of about 505kgs per resident per year. This is comparatively low and may be due to an inability to capture data on the quantities of waste disposed of by rural residents and also a lack of data on quantities taken privately to landfill by urban residents.
| Volumes of waste | 2004-05 (tonnes) | 2005-06 (tonnes) | 2006-07 (tonnes) | 2007-08 (tonnes) | 2008-09(tonnes) | % Change 04-05 to 08-09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recycled (tonnes) | 2641.46 | 2868.23 | 7693.66 | 9294.6 | 11103.03 | 76%↑ |
| Recycled (% of total) | 26% | 26% | 46% | 54% | 56% | 54%↑ |
| To landfill (tonnes) | 7,651 | 8,011 | 9017 | 8622 | 8754.8 | 12.6%↑ |
| To landfill (% of total) | 74% | 74% | 54% | 46% | 44% | 69%↓ |
| Total | 10292.46 | 10879.23 | 16710.66 | 17916.6 | 19858.1 | 43% |
Source: Queanbeyan City Council
Waste to landfill
The types of waste going to landfill during the reporting period are shown in Table 2. Total quantities taken to landfill from the City Council kerbside garbage collection service have risen slightly. It is difficult to get a whole picture of waste taken to landfill from Queanbeyan City Council area, as in addition to Council’s waste contractors (whose vehicles and waste quantities may be tracked), residents and private contractors from the Queanbeyan area also use the ACT landfill at Symonston, and no data is collected at the landfill as to where waste is coming from when it is transported privately.
| Type of waste going to landfill | 2004-05 (tonnes) | 2005-06 (tonnes) | 2006-07 (tonnes) | 2007-08 (tonnes) | 2008-09(tonnes) | % Change 04-05 to 08-09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total household | unknown | unknown | unknown | Unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Domestic collection | 7651 | 8011 | 7911 | 8092 | 8151.6 | 6%↑ |
| Private delivery | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Commercial and industrial | 553 | 530 | 603.2 | 8%↑ | ||
| Building and demolition | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Total | 7651 | 8011 | 9017 | 8622 | 8754.8 | 12.6%↑ |
Source: Queanbeyan City Council
The City Council reports that illegal dumping presents a problem in particular ‘hotspots’, such as reserve land adjoining urban areas, and efforts are focussed on limiting vehicle access into areas where dumping frequently occurs. No records are specifically kept of tonnages and types of illegally dumped materials, though rangers are active in patrolling and pursuing offenders. However, records are kept of tonnages of dumped materials collected by staff and volunteers each year on 'Clean Up Australia Day' (Table 3). What percentage of total dumping this represents is unknown.
| Source | 2004-05 (tonnes) | 2005-06 (tonnes) | 2006-07 (tonnes) | 2007-08 (tonnes) | 2008-09(tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Up Australia day | unknown | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2 |
| Other dumping recorded | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 32.8 | 66 |
| Total | unknown | 2.1 | 2.2 | 35.3 | 66 |
Source: Queanbeyan City Council
Recycling and other actions to reduce waste
Quantities of recycling collected in Queanbeyan City Council area have steadily risen over the reporting period (see Table 4), in particular quantities of kerbside recyclables. This may be due to an increasing population* combined with a high level of recycling awareness in residents. Quantities of greenwaste have dropped slightly as a result of ongoing drought.
At 30/6/2008 the Population of the Queanbeyan City Council area was estimated at 39,603 (ABS,2008)
| Material recycled | 2004-05 (tonnes) | 2005-06 (tonnes) | 2006-07 (tonnes) | 2007-08 (tonnes) | 2008-09(tonnes) | % Change 04-05 to 08-09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acid Lead Batteries | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.64 | 1.6 | 65% ↓ |
| Aluminium | 7.19 | 7.27 | 8.31 | 11 | ||
| Garden waste/compost* | 4200 | 4200 | 4400 | 4026 | 4358 | 19% ↓ |
| Glass | 761.5 | 781.13 | 854.75 | 923.73 | ||
| Metals (ferrous) | 0 | 0 | 180 | 52 | 80.5 | 123% ↓ |
| Motor oil** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17.6 | 14.85 | 19% ↓ |
| Paper | 1753.6 | 1959.3 | 2125.15 | 2557.45 | ||
| Plastic | 67.37 | 66.51 | 66.02 | 103.5 | ||
| Steel cans | 51.8 | 54.02 | 59.43 | 55.28 | ||
| Total tonnes recovered | 6841.46 | 7068.23 | 7693.66 | 7749.2 | 11103.3 | 76% ↑ |
*Estimated
**Motor oil has been collected for recycling at Council’s facility for the whole reporting period but some data is unavailable.
Data source: Queanbeyan City Council
Queanbeyan City Council has partnered with other south east councils and Zero Waste Australia in the Groundswell project (funded for three years by the NSW Environmental Trust), which will provide some residents with a bin to collect organic food scraps, in addition to garden organics. Collected organics will be processed into a soil improving product which will benefit farmers in the region, thereby simultaneously addressing the issues of reducing waste to landfill and improving degraded farming land. Data on quantities of waste diverted from landfill will be available for future reporting.
Resource implications of waste
Investment in waste management during this reporting period is shown in Table 5. In 2007-2008, approximately $83 was invested for each resident in the Queanbeyan City Council area.
| Period | 2005-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | $2 594 601 | $2 728 791 | $2 894 698 | $3 263 473 | $3 026 337 |
Source: Queanbeyan City Council
About the data
Data provided from Queanbeyan City Council records
References
Queanbeyan City Council website, http://www.qcc.nsw.gov.au/page.aspx?page=521
State of the Environment Report 2004, Queanbeyan Solid Waste, http://www.environmentcommissioner.act.gov.au/soe/soe2004/Queanbeyan/solidwaste.htm
NSW Department of Local Government, Comparative Information http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au.
City to Soil website, http://groundswellproject.blogspot.com/2008/07/groundswell-short-background.html
ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2007-08, Cat. No. 3218.0 (total excludes unincorporated area)
