Council tour of facilities

Gosford Council is organising a tour of local recycling facilities on the Peninsula and Somersby as part of National Recycling Week, which runs from November 8-14.

The council is conducting a free tour of Woy Woy landfill and its Resource Recovery Program on Monday, November 8.

Woy Woy tip began running the resource recovery centre in early July.

At the centre, residents can take garden organics, building and construction materials, scrap metal and whitegoods, as well as domestic recyclables such as cardboard, glass bottles and aluminium cans to be recycled.

The materials get split into sections.

Cement blocks are collected in one place and then recycled into road base.

Domestic recyclables and scrap metal can be dropped off free of charge.

However, all other materials such as garden organics and inert waste still attract a fee.

The council's senior technical officer for waste services, Mr James Lawson, said: "National Recycling Week raises awareness of recycling, of what people can and can't recycle and It also gives us a chance to show people how well we are doing."

"One of the main problems we are focussing on is plastic bags in recycling bins.

"People are doing the right thing recycling but are placing their goods inside plastic bags which can cause a problem.

"A lot of the residents are doing a fantastic job. If they have any doubts or any questions they should feel free to call us."

Cr Craig Doyle said earlier in the year that resource recovery reduces the amount of landfill as most of these waste materials can be transferred and re-used.

"This means they are not adding to the landfill, leaving more space and extending the life of Gosford's waste sites."

The resource recovery program was trialled for two weeks before Council approved the strategy.

At Kincumber landfill site, it was discovered that around 70 per cent of the waste could be reused.

Mr Doyle said Initial research indicated resource might extend Woy Woy for an extra nine years, meaning it might not close until 2018.

From Woy Woy landfill, the tour will move to the Materials Recovery Facility at Somersby, where much of the Peninsula's waste is sent to be recycled.

At Earth Care Recyclers in Somersby, products such as paper, cardboard, aluminium cans, glass bottles and plastics are recycled.

At the facility there will be refreshments and an opportunity to win a recycled fleece jacket.

Participants are asked to meet at Gosford Council, where the tour will then proceed to Woy Woy landfill and Earth Care MRF at Somersby with a return to Gosford council by approximately 1pm.

Bookings are essential and participants are asked to meet at 9:15 for a 9:30 start.

To book contact SITA on 13 13 35.

Lyle Stone, October 29 Email, October 26 Central Coast Community Environment Network