Benalla Sustainable Future Group
  • Home
  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT BSFG
    • Advocacy, Education and Lobbying >
      • ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY
      • Education
      • Lobbying and Media
    • INTERESTS >
      • Bio-diversity
      • Food and Agriculture >
        • Food & Agriculture
        • Food Co-op
        • Benalla Local Food Network
        • Permaculture and Sustainable Gardening
      • Renewable Energy >
        • Renewable Energy
        • Calculate Your Carbon Footprint
        • Renewable Energy Benalla
        • Benalla Community Energy Project (BCEP)
      • Sustainable Building >
        • Sustainable Building
        • Green Rebuild Toolkit
        • BSFG's Guide to Sustainable Housing
      • TRANSPORT/TRAVEL >
        • Bicycle Action Group
        • Cycling in Benalla
      • Waste/Plastic >
        • Plastic Wise Benalla
        • Single Use Plastics
        • Microfibre shedding
        • Plastic Wise News
    • FUNDING
  • ACTION GROUPS
    • Vision and Objectives
    • Connecting and engaging the community
    • Ecological Sustainable Design and Development*
    • Greening and cooling our Urban Spaces
    • Renewable Energy Benalla
    • Sustainable farming systems
    • Waste Wise Benalla
    • BSFG Review - Goals Raw Data
  • Food Co-op
  • REB
  • NEWS
    • News
    • Newsletters >
      • BSFG Newsletter
      • Benalla Permaculture - Feb 2023
    • Hot Topics and Kitchen Table Conversations
    • Light Ideas
    • Gallery
  • JOIN
    • Become a Member
    • Online Membership Form
    • Membership Form
  • Diary
    • BSFG & Food Coop Calendar
  • Links
    • BSFG Favourites
    • Catch Up videos
    • Benalla Central Community Garden
    • Benalla Permaculture
    • Bendigo Sustainability Group
    • Climate Ready Hume Newsletter >
      • March 2022
    • Ecoportal
    • Gecko Clan Landcare
    • North East Region Sustainability Alliance (NERSA)
    • Totally Renewable Yackandandah
    • Wangaratta Land Care and Sustainability
  • Contact

Textile Recycling at Benalla Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre

2/9/2023

0 Comments

 
0 Comments

​Recycling Household Batteries

5/7/2023

0 Comments

 
Household batteries are a significant source of contamination in landfill due to the chemicals and other materials used, and may also cause tip fires which are very difficult to contain.

Benalla is fortunate to have a number of businesses who are participating in battery recycling; some of these include Vinnies, Aldi, Woolworths and Benalla Windscreens, but you may know of others.  Car and truck batteries of course can be taken to the Benalla Recycling and Resource Recovery Centre for disposal. 

It’s not difficult to collect used batteries in a small bag for dropping off at one of these locations whenever convenient.

Kay Blore
Waste Wise Team
0 Comments

Keep it out of Landfill!

28/6/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
0 Comments

WasteWise Action Group Annual Report 2023

18/6/2023

0 Comments

 
​WasteWise has made excellent progress in the months since its inception.  The Group includes Wendy Baker, Kay Blore, Michael Hillenaar, Karen Nankervis and Judy Swartzman.  We have worked closely with Shannan Cooper, Waste Manager of Benalla Rural City Council who attends our meetings and provides valuable insights into Council policies and practices.
 
We have reduced landfill in Benalla by encouraging recycling of milk bottle tops, bread tags, medicine blister packs and some soft plastics.  We have established connections and continue to work with some Benalla businesses in recycling printer cartridges, old sneakers, reading glasses and hearing aids, and continue to look for other opportunities help reduce our waste to landfill.  A number of WasteWise articles have been published in the Benalla Ensign on how to reduce waste to landfill by following simple recycling or reuse tips: these continue to be published as the Ensign sees fit.
 
An exciting opportunity has been provided by Shannan who has given approval to the Group to modify Benalla’s app “BRCC Waste” with additions and corrections on individual items.  This app could become a significant community resource in the future in the ongoing work of reducing our landfill and the economic, ecological and environmental impact from waste in Benalla.
 
Kay Blore
10 May 2023
0 Comments

"No Foil for the Soil"

25/4/2023

0 Comments

 
Aluminium foil is difficult for recyclers to process but should not be placed in the general landfill (red bin) waste unless contaminated.  

In Canberra for example the recycling trucks sport a huge sign “No Foil for the Soil”.  Aluminium takes 200 to 500 years to break down in the soil.  Recycled aluminium uses 95% less energy than making it from raw materials: one tonne of recycled aluminium saves over 6000 litres of oil and up to 10 cubic metres of landfill space.

An easy way to enable more effective recycling of clean foil is to roll flat pieces together into a ball shape.  The ball of foil doesn’t need to be enormous; a golf ball size is fine.  It’s amazing how few chocolate wrappers or other foil covers are needed to make one golf ball sized foil ball!
Picture
Once again, less to go into our red landfill bin and less cost to us ratepayers.
WasteWise Action Group
0 Comments

Recycling used Printer Cartridges in Benalla - 'Stuck on Stationery'

16/4/2023

0 Comments

 
While Office Works in Shepparton and Wangaratta take Printers/Computers and other computer accessories, local store 'Stuck on Stationery' in Carrier Street Benalla has a recycling box for printer cartridges in Benalla, helping to reduce our carbon footprint.     
Picture
​
​Thank you, 'Stuck on Stationery'!
0 Comments

'Old Phones and Accessories in the back of a cupboard...'

16/4/2023

0 Comments

 
​This week’s tip from BSFG’s WasteWise group deals with those old phones and accessories in the
back of a cupboard or drawer. To dispose of them properly so they can be recycled, simply drop in
to the Post Office and ask for a free self-addressed satchel specially provided for this purpose. Fill up  the satchel with your unwanted relics (phones!) and simply post it off – how simple!
0 Comments

"Recyclable Waste, the Yellow Bin"

12/4/2023

0 Comments

 
This is probably the most queried area as to which items can be recycled. Wastewise is working with Council to clarify what should and should not go into the yellow bin. Over the next weeks we will feature items and hopefully improve our uptake with recycling. Check out the information on the Yellow bin sticker!
Picture
​If you need a new one for your bin, they are available from the Council Customer Centre in Bridge Street.
​

Quick fact: Every tonne of recycled paper saves 17 mature trees - very worthwhile!

BSFG WasteWise Benalla Action Group
0 Comments

'Don't throw old sneakers in the red bin for land fill!'

14/3/2023

0 Comments

 
Old sneakers not good enough for the Op Shops?  Don’t throw them in the red bin for landfill.  Clean old sneakers can now be recycled to produce safety matting for play areas - just as an example!

WasteWise has been searching Benalla for participants to assist in recycling household products which can be diverted from landfill and effectively reused.  You will be pleased to know that you can visit the Sportspower store at 75 Bridge Street Benalla which has a box in the store for recycling CLEAN old sneakers. ​
Picture
Picture
​Wangaratta has an example of the recycled matting should you be interested to see this product when in Wangaratta. 
​
Sportspower is convenient for Benalla residents, so we encourage anyone with old sneakers needing to be thrown out to recycle them there instead and support a local retailer trying to do the right thing. Other retailers are also joining this movement to reduce landfill, and we will feature them in future articles.

WasteWise Sub-group
0 Comments

"Organic Waste, the Green Bin"*

8/3/2023

0 Comments

 
BSFG’s WasteWise group is working with Benalla Rural City Council to reduce the amount of waste transported to landfill in Benalla.

According to Council, the adoption of our organic waste (Green) bins several years ago has seen a huge reduction in the amount of general waste (red bin waste) that goes to Landfill.

The community's rates pay pay directly for Landfill, so reducing our general waste by putting all organic waste in green bins will directly benefit our rates, as well as reducing the land required in the future for waste disposal.

Green bins come with a sticker explaining what can, and cannot, go inside. 

If yours has come off, you can get a replacement at the Benalla Rural City Customer Service Centre on Bridge Street.   It includes this information:  
Picture
​In just 12 months between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022, Benalla’s green bins diverted over 1900 tonnes of organic waste from landfill (BRCC figure) – a fantastic result.

However, we can always improve on this achievement, and every little reduction in general waste helps reduce the total impact of rubbish – including importantly the cost to all of us!

Only around 50% of households are using their green bins, so if more of us use them, the reduction in waste going to landfill will be even moresignificant.

A mini hint is to use a green bag in your paper shredder to get rid of personal papers and it’s easy to add to the organics bin; other paper of course should be recycled in the yellow bin.
BSFG WasteWise Team
*This column by the WasteWise committee appeared in BSFG's column in the Ensign on March 8, 2023.
0 Comments

'The Five 'R's' to being Waste Wise'

6/3/2023

0 Comments

 
Everything you put into your landfill bin (the one with the red lid) goes into the landfill at our local transfer station. A plastic bottle can take up to 450 years to breakdown in landfill. Nylon clothes can take 40 years, acrylic clothes can take 200 years.
 
Let’s look at some ways to keep as much waste as we can out of landfill, using the 5 ‘R’s. 
 
REFUSE
How to refuse to add to landfill:
  • Rather than buying meat on plastic and foam trays, ask your local butcher if you can bring your own reuseable containers.
  • Shop at a bulk food store or the Food Co-op and bring your own containers.
  • Make your own cleaning products and refill existing containers, there are lots of ideas on the internet.
 
REDUCE
Cut down on the amount of packaging you buy that will go into landfill.
  • Buy bulk quantities of products and dispense into your own containers, for example bulk nuts rather than small individual plastic wrapped packs of nuts.
  • Use a reusable bottle or cup for your hot and cold drinks
  • Take your own bags when shopping.
 
REUSE
There are lots of creative ways you can reuse your waste:
  • Before you put worn out clothes in the landfill bin, can you cut them up for cleaning rags, or use them to stuff a comfy cushion. 
  • Make mini green houses out of clear plastic food containers, like yoghurt or a coke bottle
  • Clean your foil and reuse it next time.
 
RECYCLE
When you are shopping, buy things, and their packaging, that can be recycled, whenever you can:
  • Check labels to see what it says about recycling the item and its packaging.
  • Take a look at the Benalla Council website and waste app for more details of what can be recycled locally.
  • Rinse and dry your recycling before putting it into the recycling bin.
Look for less known ways of recycling include
  • Batteries to Benalla Food Co-op 
  • Clean old sneakers to Sportspower stores 
  • Used Printer Cartridges to Stuck on Stationery
  • Old Phones and accessories to Post Office - ask for the self addressed satchel to put them in and post them off.
We’ll have more ideas in this column coming up.! 
ROT
Make use of your organics bin or your home compost:
  • Put your waste food into the organics bin or your compost. Food in landfill breaks down into greenhouse gases including methane.
  • Shred up any waste paper and pop it into your organics bin
  • Put any small pieces of paper, tissues, napkins etc directly into your organics bin
  • Remember to put your organics bin out every week, even if there's only a small amount in it. 
Picture
​
Waste Wise Benalla Media Release
Article appeared in the Benalla Ensign on Wednesday 15 February 2023
0 Comments

Soft Plastics - where to from here?

2/12/2022

0 Comments

 
Pausing of soft plastic collection has affected many of us and hopefully made us think hard about what purchasing choices we can make to reduce our soft plastic consumption.

One good thing to come out of this is the establishment of a Soft Plastic Task Force to ensure the ongoing viability of the scheme once it restarts.

It is the lack of purchasing of the end product that has caused this, so please take a look at companies like Replas - Recycled Plastic Products and Plastic Forests Pty Ltd
#wastewisebenalla

​
Karen Nankervis
December 2 2022 (BSFG FB)
Click to set custom HTML
0 Comments

'Waste Wise Benalla' joins the BSFG Review Action Groups!

13/11/2022

0 Comments

 
The 'Waste Wise' action group, flagged at the last meeting, held its first meeting on 26 September.  Group members Karen Nankervis, Judy Schwartzman and Kay Blore considered items including -
​
  • Discussion with Council And Ensign.
  • Repair Cafe
  • Green shed at Tip
  • Additional options for green waste bag collection
  • Council recycling trailer
  • NE Water trailer
  • Update list for recyclables, new labels from Cleanaway
  • Join with other Councils
  • Plastic forest in Albury, polystyrene collection
  • Collection bins, at Council?
 
The Group has decided upon a12 month program to focus on one item per month, Ensign and corflutes, for example:  
​
  1. Blister packs
  2. Bread ties
  3. Plastic numbers
  4. Milk bottle tops
  5. Lids on glass
  6. Soft plastic
  7. Light bulbs
  8. Little reusable bags for F&V
  9. Minimiser landfill... competition for best idea. 12 mth membership of Food Co-op.
  10. Balloons, illegal
  11. No single use plastic
  12. Your rates pay for illegal dumping
  13. Snap, send, solve app.

Notes from the minutes of BSFG's September minutes taken by Peter Maddock on 29/9/2022.  More information to be posted shortly.  
0 Comments

    'Waste Wise Benalla'

    A new group which builds upon BSFG's concern about single use plastic waste reflected by the Plastic Wise action group.  Waste Wise Benalla goes further, drawing from a  broader conception of the Circular Economy.

    Links

    National Recycling Week resources from Cleanaway - useful all year round!
    Top One Hundred Single Use Plastic Producers - from Minderoo Foundation

    Contact

    Categories

    All
    Aluminium Foil
    Benalla Landfill And Resource Recovery Centre
    Five Rs
    Household Batteries
    Keep It Out Of Landfill!
    Old Phones
    Old Sneakers
    Organic Waste
    Printer Cartridges
    Recycle
    Reduce
    Refuse
    Replas - Recyled Plastic Products
    Reuse
    Rot
    Soft Plastics
    Sportspower
    Stuck On Stationery
    Textile Recycling
    The Green Bin
    WasteWise Annual Report To AGM

    Archives

    September 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
Picture
News Blog
​Gallery
Newsletter
Light Ideas
​Hot Topics
Mailing List
Membership Form
​
​Donate to Support BSFG

Action Groups
​Benalla Food Cooperative
​Connected, Engaged Community
Ecological Sustainable Design and Development
​Greening  and cooling our urban areas 
​
​
​Renewable Energy Benalla
Sustainable Farming Practices
Waste Wise Benalla
Email addresses: 
BSFG:    bsfginc@gmail.com
Food Co-op:  foodcoopbenalla@gmail.com
​Benalla Sustainable Future Group acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we live, work and meet, the Taungerang and Bpangerang people
​of North East Victoria, and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.