Ipswich City Council

Waste

Waste Facts

Did you know...

That every year the average Australian family produces enough rubbish to fill a three-bedroom house?
That the landfill where all the rubbish ends up is about the size of 28 football fields and 100 metres deep and is quickly filling up with rubbish?
That cutting down on the waste and rubbish we produce is actually not that difficult?!

Disposing of waste is becoming a major issue for Local Government as current landfills reach their capacity and suitable space for new landfills becomes more difficult to find. The solution is really not that hard. In fact, it is as simple as encouraging people to produce less waste: The Three R's!

REDUCING, REUSING and RECYCLING is not a revolutionary new concept. It is simply the way we have done things for centuries and what we need to return to if we want to help conserve our environment and cut down on how much waste is going to landfill.

Up until 20 - 30 years ago, recycling and reusing was a part of everyday life. Families used to put the milk bottles out for the milko and return empty softdrink bottles to the shop! In those days most suburban homes had a compost heap in the backyard or kept chooks which ate all of the kitchen scraps. Plus, our metal dustbins were much smaller then!!

Our habits changed drastically with the advent of plastic packaging. Instead of taking a strong bag to the shops or loading our groceries into paper bags or cardboard boxes, everything we brought home was in plastic bags or packaging. Plastic bottles replaced recyclable glass and food was packed in styrofoam trays and plastic wrapping rather than paper. All these changes meant only one thing...MORE RUBBISH!!!!!

Ipswich City Council is committed to reducing the amount of waste generated throughout the city and is Leading the Way in the 3R's! Through Ipswich Waste Services, Council has launched an extensive community education and public awareness campaign, What a Waste! encouraging all residents, businesses and schools to adopt the 3R's!

Ipswich Waste Services have produced a waste management guide for Ipswich residents, Why Waste It Book Web (PDF, 699 kb). This booklet includes information on the services provided by Ipswich Waste Services as well as effective waste management solutions and tips on reducing, reusing and recycling.

Last Updated 8 Aug 2008 |

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