|
Libraries, service centres clean up
A programme at Council libraries and service centres has halved the
amount of solid waste they send to landfill. The Target Zero scheme at the libraries and six service centres fits
with a wider City Council goal of getting its own house in order and
showing leadership in sustainable practices. Libraries staff have halved their waste production, a saving estimated at
16,500 a year. Staff from the service centres did even better, averaging
60 per cent cut in waste to landfill. That is a reduction of 6.5 tonnes a
year. In the cost of black rubbish bags alone, this will save $2500 a year. Staff teams started by sorting rubbish to work out what it was made
up of. They then looked at how each component might be reduced
or recycled. The project showed four main areas where improvements
could be made. First, all food waste is now collected and composted
in Bokashi units which use a yeast-impregnated mix to help compost
all types of food. Second, mixed recyclables such as glass, aluminium and plastics are
recycled using the free kerbside collection service. Third, cardboard is collected at no charge by a commercial collector. Fourth, all paper from the Libraries is reused by making it into note
pads if only one side had been used, or otherwise recycled. Paper from
the Service Centres is recycled through a commercial service provider. |