Have you ever wondered where your waste goes after you throw it in the garbage bin?
We know trash doesn’t simply disappear. So it is essential to understand where our waste goes if we want to shift the mindset from one that “throws away and forgets” to one that takes responsibility for our consumption choices.
Below we share the exact destination of waste disposal in Cardinia – one of the three LGAs currently involved in our project.
Garden and Food Waste – Green Bin
Garden and food waste is sent to South East Organics Facility (SEOF). There it is shredded and taken to their partner Gippsland Water’s facility in Duston Downs – Soil Organics Recycling Facility (SORF) – that will take the organic product, and through a combination of in-vessel and open windrow processing, pasteurise and mature the material to a high-grade compost.
Recyclables – Yellow Lid Bin
Recyclables are sent to Polytrade Recycling in Dandenong to be sorted before being sent for processing.
The facility uses a combination of manual sorting and machines to process recycling into different material types; paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, steel and aluminium. The sorted materials are bundled and then sold to be made into new products. Material that doesn’t fit in these categories is taken to landfills.
General Rubbish – Red Lid Bin
General rubbish is collected by Cleanaway and sent to one of several possible landfill sites based on which site is most suitable. We often refer to this as the ‘landfill bin’ as items in this bin are not sorted or recovered. These will, unfortunately, contribute to land, air, and water pollution. Because of this, it is important that we strive to reduce our “general rubbish” as much as possible.
Cardinia Shire Council
