Go Green: food and garden organics belong in the green bin
Whyalla City Council is encouraging residents to make the most of their green bin by ensuring food scraps and garden waste are diverted from landfill.
Organic waste placed in green-lidded bins is processed into compost, mulch and soil products that support local farms, vineyards and gardens. Diverting food and garden waste from landfill also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The green bin accepts a range of organic materials including:
- Food scraps (including bones)
- Coffee grounds, tea leaves, tea bags (remove labels / staples)
- Lawn clippings, leaves, weeds
- Small branches, garden prunings
- Paper towel, tissues, pizza boxes, shredded paper
- Compostable takeaway containers, compostable coffee cups / lid, wooden cutleries, paper straws
- Compostable bin bags
Residents should not place plastic wet wipes (unless they have ‘compostable’ on the packaging), bags, glass, metal, bricks, soil, treated timber or other household rubbish into the green bin. These items contaminate composting processes and can damage equipment.
Council’s Waste Officer Charuka Sanduni said many residents might be surprised by how much waste can actually go into their green bin.
"A good rule to remember is 'if it grows, it goes',” Ms Sanduni said.
"Many people also don't realise that things like pizza boxes, paper towel, shredded paper, hair and pet waste can all go in the green bin. By putting those things in the right bin, people can significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and create valuable compost products."
Residents can use kitchen caddies or compostable liners to make collecting food scraps easier and cleaner. You can pick up your free kitchen caddy from council’s Grundle Street office.
Ms Sanduni said residents often complain about the smell of decomposing waste in their green bins, so suggested several tips to help minimise this:
- Wrap food scraps in newspaper / paper towel / compostable bags – don’t put them in ‘loose’
- Alternate layers in your bin, starting with a dry layer at the bottom (leaves, paper, cardboard), then food scraps, then dry material, and so on
- Keep food scraps in the fridge / freezer until bin day (or the night before)
- Rinse the bin out regularly
- Put baking soda / lemon / lime / dry grass clippings or leaves in the bin to neutralise the smell
- Keep your bin away from direct sunlight, particularly in summer
For more tips and information on green organics and waste in general, visit whichbin.sa.gov.au. And never miss bin night again by downloading the My Local Services app – it can send you weekly reminders on which bin needs to go out and when in your area (https://whycc.au/MLS).
By making the most of their green organics bin, residents can help create a greener, more sustainable community and continue to Enjoy Whyalla.
