A new recycling initiative in the Mount Barker district is aiming to reduce landfill waste while helping people facing financial hardship.
Mount Barker District Council has launched its six-month ‘Collecting for Community’ trial, installing 25 Container Deposit Scheme baskets on public waste bins in Mount Barker, Littlehampton, Hahndorf, Nairne, Macclesfield and Meadows. The baskets allow residents to place refundable bottles and cans separately from general rubbish, making them easier to collect and recycle.
Mayor David Leach said the trial would improve the way council manages public waste while creating both environmental and social benefits.
“This initiative has the potential to make a real impact – it’s going to help the environment by reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and will also support residents facing financial hardship as well as community group fundraising,” Mayor Leach said.
Mount Barker Uniting Church Minister Reverend Haydn Lush welcomed the move, saying it provides a safer and more dignified alternative for people who rely on collecting recyclable containers.
“Rummaging through a bin in a public place isn’t a very dignified experience – it’s messy and potentially hazardous so having recycling baskets attached to bins like the ones Council’s installed is much better,” Reverend Lush said.
Council will review the trial in six months to decide whether the initiative should become permanent and expand to other locations.
