THERE will be no disruption to kerbside recycling collections for households on the Mornington Peninsula, despite a new ban on the shire’s waste recycler SKM Services last week.
The ban came 48 hours after a fire at the company’s Laverton North site, Monday 8 July. It reportedly involved a conveyor belt surrounded by tonnes of recyclable and potentially flammable material.
The mayor Cr David Gill said the shire would “continue to monitor the situation and keep in regular contact with SKM”.
“Council continues to work with the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group on long-term solutions, including advocacy for urgent policy change in the recycling industry,” he said. “We reiterate our message that, as a community, we can’t become complacent. It’s up to everyone to understand the waste they generate; how they can avoid generating it in the first place and how they can reduce their impact on our environment.”
Tips to reduce waste include reducing packaging, not placing recyclable items in plastic bags (which go direct to landfill), upcycling or repairing items and buying second-hand.
Shoppers should use reusable bags when shopping – not single-use plastics.
Homeowners should compost food waste and join the shire’s Compost Challenge at: mornpen.vic.gov.au/composting, the mayor said.
At the beach take “three for the sea” by picking up three pieces of rubbish.
The mayor said free recycling days were regularly held at the shire’s transfer stations.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 16 July 2019
