Page 755 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 5 April 2022
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The government will investigate better environmental options for nappy waste in the ACT as part of our broader work on promoting a circular economy in the ACT, and we will be reporting back to the Assembly by July 2023. This will build on the government’s response to the Assembly resolution moved by Ms Cheyne in July of 2019, which I delivered to the Ninth Assembly in May 2020. I look forward to the opportunity to further explore this matter and use the findings to help inform future collection services in the ACT.
The government will be completing the ongoing scheme to understand how we can use waste management and the composting of food and organic matter to help reduce the ACT’s carbon emissions and methane emissions.
We know that roughly one-third of the household rubbish bin is food waste. That is roughly 26,000 tonnes of waste taken to landfill each year. The FOGO trial currently diverts a significant amount of waste away from landfill, and that is the ultimate goal of the city-wide service. We expect to have up to 42,000 tonnes by the time we reach the start date for a new large-scale in-vessel composting facility.
The food and organic matter is then converted into compost in the facility. We can then use it in community parks, gardens, the agricultural sector and the viticulture of the region to generate that true circular economy. The government will also look to the success of a range of models across the country in forming a more detailed policy and service delivery model, going forward.
We have received 19 other councils with a similar service across Australia as part of our work towards a city-wide service. The model that we are currently trialling has been a success in a range of other local government areas, but we will consider the needs of our communities before there is a future city-wide rollout and will listen to their feedback throughout the trial. The purpose of running a trial is to help inform improvements to the scheme before it is rolled out to the rest of the city.
I look forward to the opportunity to update the Assembly on the progression of the FOGO pilot into the future. I acknowledge the interests and engagement by colleagues on this important trial. The ACT government will continue its engagement with trial participants as we look to design a future city-wide FOGO service that is closely informed by community input.
I move the following amendment:
Omit all words after “That this Assembly”, substitute:
(1) notes:
(a) Canberrans are supportive of recycling, reducing waste to landfill, and cutting emissions;
(b) since November 2021, the ACT Government has been undertaking a trial of Food Organic and Garden Organic (FOGO) collection services in four Belconnen suburbs, with this trial to inform the future design of a citywide household waste collection service;
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