- Latest News
The City of Whyalla is continuing with a series of audits to avoid contamination of green waste at the Mount Laura Waste and Recycling Depot.
During a recent audit, conducted between 9.30am and 1pm on a weekday, three loads of green waste were found to be contaminated. These incidents were resolved on site but serve a reminder to residents to be careful with the content of their green waste.
Green waste is converted into mulch for use in the community. As such, green waste should consist of only organic material from your garden and nothing that has been treated with chemicals such as railway sleepers and pine posts.
Acceptable green waste includes grass clippings, weeds (but no caltrop or other noxious weeds that can spread), tree pruning’s no greater than 300mm diameter, plants, branches, shrubs and bushes.
Green waste delivered to the waste depot should NOT contain plastics, metal, cans, cardboard, paper, bricks, concrete or large logs or anything you suspect could contain asbestos.
The green waste service is providing at a substantially discounted rate of $5 for cars or station-wagon loads, $10 for utes, vans and trailers up to 7x4m and $22 for large utes, vans and trailers up to 8x5m.
The audits became necessary after green waste containing asbestos was delivered to the waste depot and consequently found its way into mulch. This contamination was quickly detected and all the tainted mulch recalled and eliminated at the depot.
To help avoid this happening again, council is co-ordinating with Safework SA to have asbestos information sessions at Westland Shopping Centre and will have information displayed with a stall at the Whyalla Public Library. Times are still to be confirmed.
To further help the environment and residents in the disposal of waste, a reminder is given that many items can be delivered to the waste depot free of charge. Televisions, white goods, steel, engine oil, batteries (any) and cardboard (240-litre bin maximum) are free to dump but MUST be separated by the customer.
For further information on waste disposal go to the council website http://www.whyalla.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=839 or call 8645 5016.
Audits of green waste will continue to happen over the next few months.