No time to waste, plan drives rubbish revolution

The Sunshine Coast Resource Recovery Strategy 2023 has been adopted at Council’s latest meeting (November 16).

It follows input from the region’s sustainability advocates and outlines Council’s plan to manage waste into the future.

The goal is that, by 2041, nothing ends up in landfill.

To do this, the strategy considers rubbish not as something to be buried in the ground, but a resource to be reused again and again.

Helping drive the repurposing revolution will be a new $40m material recovery facility (MRF) soon to be operational at Nambour.

With industry-leading intelligent sorting technology, the Sunshine Coast MRF will be able to recover glass bottles, plastic containers, cardboard, paper and steel and aluminium cans, supplying a range of quality products for re-use across several industries.

Sunshine Coast Environment and Liveability Portfolio Councillor Maria Suarez said the strategy also supported Council’s target to be a zero-net emissions organisation by 2041.

“This plan will see Council adopt and take advantage of opportunities in the rapidly evolving waste industry – and view waste as a resource,” Cr Suarez said.

“It sets a clear path to harness the value of these resources – for example by collecting food waste and converting it into compost and recovered plastics that can be repurposed into clothing or park benches.

“It supports a circular economy to prevent items from becoming waste in the first place and will help our community to avoid and create less waste though education and support.

“Through the plan, Council will advocate for new and improved product stewardship schemes and collaborate with other South-East Queensland Councils for area-wide solutions.

“And we’ll ensure that back at home, we have state-of-the-art resource recovery facilities and waste management infrastructure.

“With this strategy, Council will meet Commonwealth and State waste reduction targets and lead the way to a cleaner, greener, more sustainable future.”