CENTRAL MURRAY Regional Waste Management Group ANNUAL REPORT Year Ending 30th June 2010 1 Annual Report 2009/2010 Central Murray Regional Waste Management Group ANNUAL REPORT 2009/2010 Member Councils ¾ Buloke Shire Council ¾ Gannawarra Shire Council ¾ Loddon Shire Council ¾ Swan Hill Rural City Council ¾ Wakool Shire Council Central Murray Staff ¾ Karen Fazzani – Executive Officer ¾ Suzie Deason – Regional Education Officer ¾ Donna Wardlaw – Regional Education Officer - (Currently on Maternity Leave) © State of Victoria, Central Murray Regional Waste Management Group 2010 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. 2 Annual Report 2009/2010 Chairperson’s Report It is with pleasure I present my Chairperson’s report for 2009/2010. It has been a very successful year again, thanks to the excellent work of Karen our Executive Officer and Donna and Suzie our Education Officers. When Donna went on maternity leave in December Suzie Deason took over. It was a seamless transition, thanks to the excellent co-operation of Donna and Suzie. Suzie has been a very valuable addition and I commend her for her interest and co-operation and her willingness to finish off some of Donnas’ projects and start some of her own. The success can also be attributed to our tremendous Advisory Members, who obviously see their responsibility as far more than just a job. The Review of Regional Waste Management Groups continued, with many hours of discussion and trips to Melbourne. I would like to commend everybody for the camaraderie, the willingness to co-operate with each other, the exchange of ideas and in general the keen desire to achieve towards zero waste targets. Some of the major projects that CMRWMG rolled out included: • Don’t be a Ronnie a joint project with Bendigo City Council and Calder RWMG • Foodwise with 8 schools and their communities • Plasback Silage Wrap project • Stop a Litterer – joint project with the South West, Desert Fringe, Grampians and Mildura Regional Waste Management Groups promoting the Litter Report Line • Successful in three Towards Zero Waste Grants; o Loddon Green Waste not Going to Waste (Green Waste Shredder) o Reuse and Recover (expansion of Swan Hill Reuse Centre and the creation of two new reuse centres in Gannawarra) o Recycling in the Street (public place recycling project in Swan Hill and Gannawarra, also recycling bin lid changeover in Buloke Shire) • Have investigated organics; o With the group having a tour of the Shepparton Composting Facility. o EO and I attended the Waste Diversion Organics Solutions for the CPRS seminar in NSW o We have engaged a consultant to establish data and look at end markets for organics in the Central Murray region. • Some of the guest speakers at the Group Meetings were; – Orbitas, Mawsons, Ausplaztik and drumMUSTER We currently have market solutions for plastics, E-Waste, metal, cardboard/paper, oil, silage wrap and also have new plans in progress for reuse and improved recycling areas to be established at some of our sites. 3 Annual Report 2009/2010 4 Annual Report 2009/2010 Regional Achievements 2009/2010 Implementation of the Regional Waste Management Plan Offset carbon emissions for CMRWMG vehicles, energy and waste usage Gold Waste Wise Certification achieved by East Wimmera Health Service Continued E-Waste Recycling program at 17 sites in the region Revised and adopted a 3 Year Business Plan with an Action Plan for 2010/2011 Updated and adopted the Regional Education Plan incorporating communication activities Active participant of the Murray River Litter Taskforce Awarded Environmental Festival for Schools Grants to eight schools for environmental works Continued to support Waste Wise organisations and interested schools to minimise waste Promoted Don’t be a Ronnie Campaign Initiated Foodwise program in eight schools and their communities Co-ordinated Western Victoria Stop a Litterer joint project Participated in the Get it Sorted Transfer Station Campaign Monitored on-going regional scrap metal collection service ( 422 tonnes collected) Promotion of Waste Oil Collection Facilities (2,600 litres collected) 87,624 drums were diverted from landfill through the drumMUSTER farm chemical container collection program for 2009/10, with 83,858 in 2008/2009 83,858 and 81,378 in 2007/2008 Partner in the Blinky Bulb campaign with over 800 fluorescent tubes collected from the region Produced three Regional Newsletters and distributed newsletter for Landfill Operators Promoted and utilised Mobile Waste and Litter Education Centre, Waste Wise Events Trailer and Mobile Billboard Continued strong partnerships with like minded organisations and the community Established relationships with local media including regular columns in 7 local newspapers, regular press releases, radio interviews and announcements Maintained and revamped Central Murray Regional Waste Management Group website (www.cmrwmg.com.au) 5 Annual Report 2009/2010 Executive Officers Report The 2009/2010 year has seen the Central Murray Regional Waste Management Group (Central Murray RWMG) implement a variety projects and campaigns across the region towards our goals. We have endeavoured to strengthen our relationships with key stakeholders and other like minded organisations to achieve our objectives. A highlight of the year for me was the participation in the Steering Committee of the Swan Hill Eco Demonstration Centre which now has a 9 star rating. We rolled out a number of inspirational cross regional joint projects including “Blinky Bulb”, Get it Sorted campaign, Don’t be a Ronnie and Stop a Litterer. The Region was successful with three Sustainability Victoria’s Towards Zero Waste grant applications on public place recycling, bin lead replacement, reuse centres and a green waste shredder. Two new Transfer Stations were established at Dingee and Goodnight replacing closed landfills. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of Donna Wardlaw our Regional Education Officer who is currently on Maternity Leave and her able replacement Suzie Deason. Both have worked tirelessly and professionally with our Member Councils, organisations, hospitals and schools to minimise waste and increase recycling. The recertification of Waste Wise organisations and the implementation of the Foodwise project in eight schools and their communities were great successes along with the Loddon Shire Caravan Park program. The Group rotated its meetings around the region with the Central Murray RWMG Audit Committee meeting four times during the year. A presentation was made to each Member Council providing an update on the Central Murray RWMG’s activities. At an operational level, the Central Murray RWMG continued to co-ordinate the collection of data for the Region, with Member Councils and contractors contributing to the quarterly standardised data collection program. On behalf of the Group I attended various workshops, seminars and conferences pertaining to waste management including Association Meetings, Cluster Meetings, and Waste Diversion Organics Solutions for CPRS Conference in NSW, Waste to Energy Forums, Murray River Waste Management Meetings, Non-Metro RWMG Review sessions and Business Planning Session. I also toured and visited landfills and transfer stations throughout the Region. Our diversion of 36% was lower than our expected target. A positive is that our recycling figures are steady despite our waste generation increasing for the region. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Neville as Chair for his continued confidence and faith in me, also the Directors, Member Council Officers and the Regional Education Officers of the Central Murray Regional Waste Management Group for their on-going support and assistance. Donna and Suzie’s dedication and enthusiasm to their positions coupled with the terrific results they have achieved this year is also acknowledged. I am looking forward to the challenges 2010/2011 will bring in particular the recommendations of the Non-Metro RWMG review and anticipate continued positive results as we implement the Regional Waste Management Plan with the strong support of our Member Councils, the community and like minded organisations. Karen Fazzani, Executive Officer Central Murray Regional Waste Management Group 6 Annual Report 2009/2010 Regional Education Officer (REO) Report Congratulations must go to all of the organisations, particularly those in the Healthcare Sector that committed to continual improvement through the Waste Wise program! East Wimmera Health Service’s outstanding Waste Wise achievements were rewarded with Gold Certification and are the first healthcare organisation in our region to reach this level and only the third in the state. This certification was the final for the Waste Wise program for schools, government and organisations, with the new ResourceSmart program taking over which will be implemented by Sustainability Victoria in the coming months. The launch of our “Don’t be a Ronnie!” in partnership with the City of Greater Bendigo and Calder RWMG was a significant highlight for the year to encourage residents to recycle right and reduce contamination. The other exceptional project for 2009/10 was the roll out of the Foodwise campaign in schools across the region to reduce the estimated 30% of food waste that is in household bins. Sustainable Communities Program The Waste Wise fortnightly column continued to be