The extension of green waste bins to the wider Canberra community has officially commenced with the first collections made this week (1 April).
Minister for City Services, Chris Steel said the first city-wide green bin collection coincided with the Autumn season, a time when gardeners needed to dispose of falling leaves.
“Green waste bins save residents time and money, and reduce the number of trips to the green waste drop-off, while enabling unwanted garden organic waste to become high-quality compost products for landscaping,” Mr Steel said.
“While many households still compost, there has been a strong demand for green bins, with over 61,700 Canberra households opting-in to the service so far.”
MLA for Murrumbidgee, Bec Cody thanked those residents who had already registered for a green bin.
“Residents have really shown their support for the service, and as at the end of February, the green bin service has collected almost 8,000 tonnes of garden waste which may have otherwise ended up in landfill,” Ms Cody said.
“Canberrans also have taken to using their green bins correctly with an extremely low contamination rate of less than 0.02 per cent.”
Green bin collection dates across Canberra have moved to the alternate week to the yellow recycling bin, making it easier to remember.
Householders can still register for a green bin for a one-off $50 payment, or free for eligible concession card holders.
Green bins can be used for garden prunings, leaves, grass clippings, weeds, small branches and flowers.
