Six Central Queensland councils have collaborated on a new regional waste and resource recovery management plan to improve sustainable recycling and waste management for the region.
The collaborative approach to waste and resource recovery will deliver better, more accessible services and create jobs for regional and rural communities in Central Queensland.
The new Central Queensland regional waste and resource recovery management plan was released this week.
The Palaszczuk Government provided $300,000 in funding to the Central Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (CQROC) to develop the plan.
The blueprint for the region’s investment in waste management will help address the challenges of service delivery in regional and rural areas, delivering economies of scale and a higher level of cooperation.
The plan was developed by the six member councils that make up CQROC – Banana Shire Council, Central Highlands Regional Council, Gladstone Regional Council, Livingstone Shire Council, Rockhampton Regional Council and Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council.
Gladstone Region Councillor, Rick Hansen attended the meeting and said council’s regional waste management plans have been approved and completed.
CQROC Chair and Livingstone Shire Mayor, Cr Andrew Ireland CQROC has collectively designed a plan that charts a path for improved waste and resource recovery across our region.
“This plan is a testament to the dedication of our Councils working together for a sustainable future,” Cr Ireland said.
“With the region’s population projected to grow significantly by 2036, Central Queensland faces unique challenges, including a concerning trend in waste volume growth. Our plan not only acknowledges the diversity of our region, but also emphasises data improvement and targeted waste stream solutions to address these issues head-on.
“Central Queensland plays a vital role in our state’s economy, with key industries like mining and agriculture, and our plan aims to ensure waste management aligns with our economic contributions.
“Education is the cornerstone of our plan. We’ve identified the need for a regional waste and recycling education strategy that empowers residents to reduce contamination and divert organic waste.”
The plan outlines a range of actions over the immediate to long-term including:
education and behaviour change activities to promote better outcomes for the region
maximising the diversion of organics from landfill
enhancing kerbside collection approaches to increase capture of co-mingled recyclables, and
developing alternatives to landfill for residual waste
These key actions will help deliver new economic and market development outcomes for the region, creating jobs through the establishment of new collection, sorting and processing facilities.
The Department of Environment and Science will support CQROC to implement its plan.
