Help Merri-bek transition to a circular economy with zero waste
Our community goals for 2025 are:
1. Increase the number of Merri-bek households composting or worm farming.
2. Increase the number of ‘share economy’ groups and initiatives.
WHAT CAN I DO?
We are consuming and producing waste at a rate that is not sustainable for our environment. Buying cheap, disposable, single-use products is a big part of the problem – they take time and use valuable resources to produce, only to end up in landfill.
When buying new items, choosing clothing, furniture, household items and food products that can be reused, recycled or re-purposed can reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment. Better alternatives to buying new products include sharing, borrowing, swapping and buying second hand.
AVOID
WASTE
Learn how to minimise and eliminate waste at home – avoiding things that create waste in the first place is the best step you can take.
COMPOST
COMMUNITY
Access composting advice and discounted compost bins, equipment and worm farms via Merri-bek’s partnership with Compost Community.
FOOD WASTE COLLECTION
Put food waste in the food and garden organics bin (light green lid) to help create compost, reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
WASTE & RECYCLING SERVICES
Find more information about your kerbside waste services, access the Detox Your Home Program for safe household chemical disposal, and find options on our online A-Z guide to drop off or book a pick-up service to recycle your unwanted household items.
REPAIR, REUSE, BORROW & SWAP
Find a local repair café, tool library or toy library in Merri-bek
JOIN SHAREWASTE OR FIND A COMPOST HUB
Donate your food scraps or share your compost bin with neighbours through Sharewaste or via one of the community composting hubs in Merri-bek.
RUN A LITTER COLLECTION EVENT
Organise a community litter collection with Council support.
BECOME A PLASTIC WISE SPORTS CLUB
Pledge to eliminate single-use plastics at your sports club with resources and support from Council.
SUBSIDIES FOR SCHOOLS AND EARLY LEARNING CENTRES
Merri-bek City Council subsidises a number of sustainability education and action programs for local schools and early learning centres on waste reduction.
Other resources
Merri-bek City Council Reducing Waste
Council information for what you can do to embrace the circular economy at home.
Sustainability Victoria’s Love Food Hate Waste
A Victorian Government website with tips on how to reduce food waste at home, including the importance of shopping lists, recipes for using surplus food, and food storage tricks.
Sustainable Gardening Australia
Shares information on how to grow your own fruit and vegetables, avoid packaging and produce healthy, organic food.
Back to Basics Cleaning
Provides advice, recipes and tips if you want to learn how to make your own cleaning products: avoid packaging and keep your home free of toxins.
Rubbish Free Guide
Tips and suggestions on how to reduce or eliminate waste to landfill. Presented as a comprehensive A-Z guide that you can search by product for waste free alternatives.
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