LG Focus: Bowerbird Brings Bargains
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Savvy shoppers keen to save a few dollars or find a unique treasure have flocked to the City of Greater Geraldton’s newly reopened tip shop, the Bowerbird.
Already garnering significant community support since opening its doors last month, the facility has become a must-visit on the reuse and recycle scene in Geraldton. The Bowerbird has diverted almost 4000 items from landfill and served more than 1369 customers since reopening to the public on Wednesday, 1 September. The success of the newly relaunched tip shop is credited to the small and passionate team who work tirelessly to provide a positive experience to customers. There’s plenty to peruse here.
For more information, email Fred Block, Coordinator Waste Recovery and Engagement, or call on (08) 9956 6684.
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Register now for Great Southern Waste Summit!
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Registrations are now open for the WALGA Non-metropolitan Waste Summit being held on Thursday, 11 and Friday, 12 November in the Great Southern.
The Summit will bring high profile speakers to the region as well as showcasing local initiatives and opportunities. Speakers already confirmed include:
- Michelle Andrews, Director General, DWER
- Reg Howard-Smith, Chair, Waste Authority
- Michael Aspinall, Chair, Keep Australia Beautiful
- Sheila McHale, Chair, Containers for Change
Participants will also have opportunities to workshop local waste management issues and network with their colleagues from the region. This event will bring together Local Government, business and the community to build relationships and share knowledge, as well as to improve service delivery, social opportunities and environmental outcomes for local communities.
This event is being hosted by the City of Albany, Shire of Denmark and Shire of Plantagenet, and sponsored by Containers for Change and Cleanaway.
For more information or to register, visit the WALGA website.
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Battery Stewardship Update for
Local Government
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WALGA will be hosting two online information sessions where Local Governments can hear from the Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) on the upcoming Battery Product Stewardship Scheme ‘B-cycle’.
B-cycle is scheduled to commence in January 2022, with a public launch planned for February 2022. This is an opportunity for Local Governments to find out how to get involved in the Scheme and to participate in Q&A. The information sessions are scheduled for:
- 11:00am to 12:00pm on Thursday, 28 October.
- 11:00am to 12:00pm on Wednesday, 3 November.
To register for any of the above sessions, click here.
General information on the Battery Product Stewardship Scheme can be found on the B-cycle website.
To find out more about the sessions, email the HHW Program Coordinator or call on (08) 9213 2062
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Pending COVID-19 Vaccination
Requirements Announced
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The State Government has announced a three-phase COVID-19 vaccination policy with accompanying mandates that will be applied to different workforces across the State, with Directions to bring mandates into effect yet to be drafted.
Today’s announcement sets out the overarching policy and framework for a phased approach of vaccination requirements, with categories of employees and occupation required to be fully vaccinated by either 31 December 2021 or 31 January 2022.
View the summary of phases and outlined occupations here.
Government Roundtables will be convened in the coming weeks to inform Directions and Health Orders that will bring the first two phases of the framework into effect. The sector will have an opportunity through WALGA to participate in the Roundtables.
Whilst it is the responsibility of employees to be vaccinated, it will be the responsibility of employers to ensure staff under nominated occupations presenting to work are vaccinated.
Stage 1 requires vaccination of first dose by 1 December and full vaccination by 31 December of employees in occupations determined to have high transmission risk or are a vulnerability risk or are necessary or critical to the safety of the community.
This includes occupations in air transport, primary and community health, staff working in or entering remote Aboriginal communities, community care services including disability, mental health, homelessness, drug and alcohol services, child protection, family and domestic violence and Aboriginal peoples.
Whilst Fire and Emergency Services staff are included in this phase, volunteers are excluded.
Stage 2 requires vaccination of first dose by 31 December and full vaccination by 31 January 2022 of employees in industries and workforce deemed critical to ongoing delivery of business and the function of the community. This includes childcare services; accommodation facilities; building, maintenance or construction services and ‘critical infrastructure and services necessary for the health, safety and welfare of the community.’ The latter includes domestic and commercial waste and resource recovery.
WALGA will be seeking sector input into the upcoming Roundtables to clarify occupation categories relevant to Local Government operations and requirements of the sector and Local Governments as employers.
For more information, email the WALGA COVID-19 Response Team.
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Containers for Change held its inaugural Change Makers Awards on Friday, 15 October with winners from across the State.
Congratulations to the overall and category winners for the Change Makers Awards! City of Bunbury were recognised in the Safety category – which recognised those organisations implementing exemplary safety initiatives, using best practice health and safety processes or techniques to deliver a safe environment for their employees, customers and stakeholders. Other winners included:
- Customer Focus - Avonvalley Cash 4 Containers, Northam
- Innovation - North West Recycling, Karratha
- Community Engagement - Good Sammy Enterprises
- Local Marketing Initiative - Care for Hedland Environmental Association
- Community Participant of the Year - Old Bastards Association, Carnarvon
- School of the Year - Borden Primary School, Borden
- Change Maker of the Year - Avonvalley Cash 4 Containers, Northam
For more information, the Media Statement is available here.
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Waste Wise Schools is being revamped and will be known as WasteSorted Schools from 2022.
WasteSorted Schools will make the eligibility criteria and application process simpler so that more schools can improve their waste management. All accredited schools are eligible to apply and more information about the new grant process will be provided to schools in Term 4, 2021. Applications for the new grant round will open on 1 February 2022 and close on 15 March 2022.
For more information on the WasteSorted Schools Program or to become accredited, visit the Waste Authority website.
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Waste is the Word
Want to share your waste management successes, promote a new project, have a key question answered or collaborate with other Local Governments? We want to include your waste management issues in our next newsletter.
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Resources
WALGA operates prequalified supply contracts to access goods and services at market preferential rates. We have Preferred Supplier arrangements in place for a range of Waste Management, Parks and Gardens, and Environmental services to support service delivery and sustainability within the sector.
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