Byron loves B.Y.O is a campaign to reduce single-use takeaway across the shire.
We are supporting the introduction of reusable schemes to make them more convenient for businesses and customers. Encouraging B.Y.O and reusable practices demonstrates our values as a Shire and sets a high standard for residents and visitors.
The Lift the Lid Audit Program aims to help people improve their recycling behaviour and reduce waste going to landfill unnecessarily. The program involves kerbside recycling and organics bins being visually checked for incorrect items.
Lift the lid audits are designed to:
- provide direct education and feedback to residents who may need extra help to recycle right
- provide direct communication to residents who may not have seen our recent #recycleright media campaign
- help us evaluate the performance of our waste programs and services so we can continue to improve them.
If your bin is:
- not contaminated - well done!
- minor contamination - we will put a tag on your bin to let you know which items are incorrect and an education pack in your mailbox
- grossly contaminated - we will put a tag on your bin and it won't be emptied. You will need to phone our Resource Recovery Hotline on 1300 652 625 within 24 hours to discuss and arrange a re-collection.
It's really important that we all do our bit to recycle right, because even a small amount of contamination can send an entire truck load of recycling or organics to landfill, which has significant environmental and financial impacts.
Takeaway litter has almost doubled in Brunswick Heads from 2017 to 2021.
We also know that over half of the items inside the bins in Brunswick Heads are single-use takeaway items.
To address the problems, Council will be offering a FREE “return and reuse” scheme for Brunswick Heads food businesses, “Bring it Back”. Businesses will be supplied with reusable options and Council will assist with systems for their collection and sanitisation.
Replacing single-use items with reusables reduces landfill, litter and emissions.
The “Bring it back” project will focus on replacing single-use takeaway items for reusable ones and creating a local circular model in Brunswick Heads.
The project will also look at trialing different types of public place bins, like organics.
Byron Shire Council and Circular Cafes are partnering to support Brunswick Heads become leaders in sustainable practices. Circular Bruns is launching in Brunswick Heads as a precinct project. Through the efforts of each individual food business and the whole community, we will be able to determine the impact a whole business community and town can have on waste reduction.
This project is a NSW EPA, Waste Less, Recycle More initiative.
We have partnered with Worn Up to recycle old school uniforms.
We’re inviting all our local schools and their communities to take up this opportunity with Worn Up to recycle school uniforms that would otherwise end up in landfill.
Uniforms that are no longer wearable can be dropped into the pod and will then be collected each term. The uniforms will be shredded and be made into new products like desks and furniture.
We will be funding the collection for 12 months to raise awareness about textile waste. Our intention is to collect data throughout the program and provide a report to Council at the end of the 12 months, to help guide future textile recycling initiatives in the Byron Shire.
Council will also be participating and recycling any end-of-life uniforms from staff.
If you would like more information about how your school can get involved contact Sarah Child, schild@byron.nsw.gov.au
Council has a range of free programs and interactive learning activities designed to teach students about the importance of sustainable waste management practices at school and at home.
We work with North East Waste to deliver sessions on
- food waste
- composting
- waste audits
- recycling
Activities can be tailored to different age groups.
Council’s Education Projects Officer can also assist with tailored programs to school topics and activities.
For more information contact Sarah Child, schild@byron.nsw.gov.au
Composting and worm farming are easy and environmentally friendly ways to recycle your household food scraps and to prevent this valuable resource form going to landfill. Take a few minutes to watch these videos and find out how easy it is to set up and manage your own system. The best part is you can produce an amazing product to use on your garden!
We sell compost bins and worm farms (that are featured in the videos) at the Byron Resource Recovery Centre:
- on ground home compost bin - $52
- Worm farm - $66
Scrap Together is a community education program aimed to turn food waste into compost and remove it from landfill.
Each year, NSW households and businesses are sending almost two million tonnes of food and garden waste to landfill each year. Food rots in landfills and generates methane, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
We can reduce our emissions and waste to landfill by putting all our food scraps in the right bin.
Bones, meat, fish, dairy, grass, fruit and vegetable scraps and even yoghurt can all be added to food and garden organics (FOGO) green bins.
Take 3 for Byron is all about taking action and leveraging the positive power of over two million visitors alongside our community to preserve Byron’s natural beauty through a simple action.
Simply, Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave our beaches, waterways or natural spaces and you have made a difference.
Byron Shire Council has a litter reduction target of 40 per cent in volume of litter by the end of 2021. The Take 3 for Byron program aims to help Council achieve this target by asking visitors to the area and the community to Take 3 for Byron.
How do I get involved?
Simply Take 3! To find out more about and get involved, follow Take 3 for Byron on Instagram.
For every Australian there are 5 pieces of litter on our beaches.
Each year, over 25,000 tonnes of litter is tossed in NSW.
Litter gets into our waterways and harms marine life, particularly turtles, seabirds and fish that all live within the Cape Byron Marine Park.
Learn how you can help keep the Byron shire clean and protect our local environment in our short video.
Read more about how we are Tackling litter in Byron Shire