Council launches Collecting for Community
Photo: Mount Barker District Council Mayor David Leach with Mount Barker Uniting Church Minister Reverend Haydn Lush in Keith Stepheson Park where one of 25 Collecting for Community CDS recycling baskets has been installed.
Mayor David Leach said 25 CDS recycling baskets have been installed on public waste bins across the district, including Mount Barker, Littlehampton, Hahndorf, Nairne, Macclesfield and Meadows, as part of the initial trial.
“Collecting for Community will enhance the way Council manages public waste across Mount Barker district by providing a better alternative for people to divert 10-cent refundable bottles and cans away from landfill,” Mayor Leach said.
“This initiative has the potential to make a real impact - it’s going to help the environment by reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and will also support residents facing financial hardship as well as community group fundraising.
“I encourage residents to get behind this initiative when they’re out and about enjoying our parks, gardens and shopping areas and put their empty refundable bottles or cans in the clearly marked recycling baskets.”
Mount Barker Uniting Church Minister Reverend Haydn Lush welcomed the trial saying collecting, and cashing in, empty recyclable containers was an ‘important financial lifeline’ for many people under financial pressure.
“Rummaging through a bin in a public place isn’t a very dignified experience - it’s messy and potentially hazardous so having recycling baskets attached to bins like the ones Council’s installed is much better,” Reverend Lush said.
“I thank Council for demonstrating its community-mindedness by trialing this initiative and for identifying an opportunity where locals can help vulnerable members in the community while also helping the environment.”
Mayor Leach said South Australia has led the way on promoting responsible waste management nationally for nearly 50 years.
“The state was the first to introduce refunds on drinking cans and bottles in 1977 and the first to legislate a ban against single use plastics in 2020,” Mayor Leach said.
“The state’s track record shows how much South Australians care for the environment and this trial is an opportunity for people in Mount Barker district to demonstrate how much we care for each other too.”
To see where the CDS recycling baskets are located visit: www.mountbarker.sa.gov.au/services/waste-and-recycling/collecting-for-community
Council will review the trial’s effectiveness in six months to determine if the initiative will be made permanent and potentially expanded to other locations.
