Sort your load for the tip to save time and money

Fraser Coast residents are being encouraged to sort their load into reusable items, recyclables, green waste and general waste before heading to the tip to save time and money.

Cr David Lee said Fraser Coast Regional Council would be running an education campaign over the next few weeks encouraging residents to sort their load before visiting the waste facility.

“Sorting your load before you head to a landfill or transfer station can save you money and benefits the environment,” he said.

“Dumping a trailer-load of unsorted stuff into the general waste pit could cost up to $68.10, depending on the weight of the load and contents.

“If you sort out what can be reused or recycled and have less than a wheelie bin full of rubbish for the pit, then it would cost $5.40 to dispose of the same load. That’s a pretty good saving.

“Stopping reusable and recyclable items from going into landfill is also great for the environment.”

Cr Lee said residents could dispose of up to four cubic metres or one tonne of clean green waste (a standard box-trailer load) for free.

“Council also offers green waste loyalty cards. Get your loyalty card stamped every time you bring a load of green waste in and on your eighth trip, you’ll get a free load of standard mulch,” he said.

Cr Lee said sorting your load was very easy.

“The secret is to sort your load as you put items in your vehicle,” Cr Lee said.

“Put the green waste in one section or load it first and then load other materials separated into recyclables and general waste on top.

“There are bins at the landfill and transfer stations to place recycling materials, so if all of your cardboard is in one spot and all of your steel or old electrical items are put together when you are loading, they can be quickly unloaded.

“Steel, aluminium, paper and cardboard, electrical items (such as kettles and toasters), electronic waste (ewaste) (such as old mobile or laptop), packaging glass, hard plastics,  even the polystyrene that was around your new TV or fridge can be recycled and are free to drop off.”

There is a cost for some items, such as fridges, freezers and air conditioners which need to be degassed.

“If you have them degassed at home you will be issued with a certificate. When you show the certificate at the landfill or transfer station you can dispose of the item for free. If they have to be degassed when you drop them off, then Council will charge a fee of $12.40.”

“Concrete and bricks can also be recycled. The concrete is crushed to separate the steel and from the rubble. The rubble is reused for different projects such as fill in building roads and pathways.”

Up to 20 litres of waste oil, or paint as well as household chemicals and batteries can also be dropped off for free.

If you need to dispose of large quantities of green waste, please contact Council prior to visiting the waste facility. Branches, limbs and trunks have to be cut into manageable lengths of no more than 1200mm long or 400mm in diameter.

Green waste is vegetation only and must not include plastic, painted or laminated products.

“Emptying a sorted load is very quick compared to an unsorted load, and there is generally someone around to assist you,” Cr Lee said.

As part of its education campaign, Council has developed videos with Waste Operations Manager Glenn Jeffrey appearing like a genie to provide advice to a couple before they head to the tip.

To learn more about sorting your load and to find out ‘What Would Glenn Do’, visit www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/what-would-glenn-do

Copies of the videos are available on the webpage and on Council’s YouTube channel here and here.