Education and support

Have you ever wondered what happens to your waste, recyclables and organic materials once they are collected from your kerb?

You can find out on one of our FREE community tours for City of Marion residents.

Sites visited include the Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre at North Plympton, Jeffries Group composting, Adelaide Resource Recovery, VISY Recycling and Electronic Recycling Australia.

These full-day tours are scheduled twice each year in April/May and October/November.

To register your interest in joining the next available tour please contact Council via phone or email (number and address below).

Our Waste and Recycling Education Officer is available for guest presentations to community groups. Presentations range from 30 minutes to one hour, depending on group requirements. Topics include:

• Waste less, recycle more
  Learn more about our waste and recycling services. Find out what can go in each bin, practical tips for recycling tricky items, and how to dispose of other materials such as e-waste.
• What a load of rubbish!
  Discover what happens to your waste and recyclables once they are collected from the kerb and learn more about minimising waste.
• Composting at home
  You can halve your environmental impact by recycling organics into compost at home. Learn about various compost systems including compost bins, worm farms and bokashi, and how to keep them productive.

For further information and bookings please contact:

City of Marion
Waste and Recycling Education Officer (phone number and email address below)

Council conducts a bin inspection and tagging program to ensure that food scraps and recyclables are not going to waste and to improve the use of bin services for waste and recycling.

Waste audits in the council area show that some recyclable items are being placed in the wrong bin and that there is some contamination from incorrect items in recycling bins, which causes problems for recycling efficiency.

Staff conduct a series of fortnightly inspections of waste and recycling or organics bins in selected streets. Each visit involves a visual inspection of the top 30cm of bin contents when the bins are on the kerb for collection.

Bins will be inspected three to four times. Feedback is provided to residents on the way they recycle in the form of one of the following tags attached to bin handles:

• Thank you - your efforts help recycle valuable resources.
• We ask one small favour - for removing items spotted in your bin that shouldn't be in there.

Two further inspections will occur within 12 months after the tagging to provide feedback on recycling improvements within neighbourhoods and to find out the long-term impacts of the education program on recycling behaviour.

Our waste and recycling education programs offer a range of free, fun and interactive sessions on recycling and waste minimisation topics, including:

• Ready to Recycle
  Using the 3 bin system and the importance of recycling right.
• From Bins to Beyond
  Find out what happens to waste and recycling once it leaves the kerb. Review what goes in each bin and why choosing the right bin is important.
• Keepers of the Compost
  Learn how a compost bin system works and how to look after one. This session can include setting up a compost bin.
• Wild about worms
  Learn what to feed worms and how to look after a worm farm. This session can include setting up a worm farm.
• Nude food and litter free lunches
  Look at common lunchbox items and identify ways to reduce waste. Explore social and environmental impacts of litter.
• Waste warriors
  School support for planning actions to reduce the school’s waste, improve recycling systems or start a new collection.

Sessions can be tailored to suit the needs of your group. You can combine topics to suit your specific questions about waste. School presentations range from individual classes to assembly or meetings with staff and parents.

Sessions are normally 40-50 minutes but can be as short as 20-30 minute talk, or a longer two hour workshop, depending on your needs.

For further information and bookings please contact:

City of Marion
Waste and Recycling Education Officer (phone number and email address below)