PEOPLE on Peel Street are pretty good at putting their waste in the right bins.
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So much so, the council is looking into installing more public recycling bins around the community.
Staff at Tamworth Regional Council recently completed an audit of the bins on the main street.
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While the audit found some need for greater education on what materials can be recycled, there was enough encouragement to expand the city's recycling options.
It was noted about 35 per cent of material going into the yellow bin was "potentially compostable", consisting of food scraps and contaminated food containers.
There was a noted lack of litter on the CBD streets, but there was more general waste being produced than recycling.
"What is being generated is generally ending up in the appropriate bins with garbage bins on average being 43 per cent full and recycling bins being 23 per cent full," the audit said.
"It is recommended that further promotion of the educational message about removing the lids on food and beverage containers, emptying out of any food or liquid into the garbage bin and then placing recyclables into the correct bin is required to help reduce ... the missed opportunities of recyclables ending up in the garbage bin."
The report also recommended putting recycling bins at other council owned facilities and parks in the future.
There was a suggestion of diverting food scraps down the track as well.
"Council may wish to consider the diversion of food waste from its public locations with the commissioning of its organics recycling facility into the future," the audit said.
The establishment of the council's $16 million organic recycling facility could be some years away.
It also voted to cut back on CBD bin servicing.
The recommendation to have the recycling bins serviced once a week, rather than four times a week, will mean that the estimated annual service costs will now be approximately $3,800 which is an estimated saving of $11,400 annually.
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
