Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan

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Bundaberg Regional Council’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan that is linked to the Wide Bay-Burnett Regional Waste Management Plan, outlines a clear path forward on how to assist the Bundaberg community to move towards the Queensland Governments aspirational waste reduction and recycling targets of:

  • reducing the amount of waste generated by 15%
  • increasing the amount of materials recycled to 60%
  • increasing the amount of municipal solid waste diverted from landfill to 70%

Currently, each Bundaberg Region household generates 725 kilogram of waste that is landfilled annually via their red lidded residual waste bin. The region’s overall recycling rate from the yellow lidded household bins is only 15% of the materials collected.

The Queensland Levy that is paid on household waste landfilled, to the Queensland State Government is forecast to cost the Bundaberg ratepayers an additional $27,000,000 over the next nine years to 2031/2032 and is a major driver of the proposed actions in the Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan with the aim of limiting the financial burden for residents and ratepayers.

There are several action items that have been identified and the following five themes have been identified:

  • Theme 1: Waste Avoidance and Education
  • Theme 2: Capturing Organics Plans for the Future
  • Theme 3: Use the Right Bin
  • Theme 4: Recovery of Resources
  • Theme 5: Sustainable Waste Services and Infrastructure

The Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan outlines how Council will support the community and work collaboratively with regional and domestic industry to create circular economy principals for resources by:

  • reducing recyclables lost through the red lidded residual waste bin
  • the provision of a food organics and garden organics (FOGO) green lidded bin to a large proportion of the domestic households
  • recovering more resources at their source or at waste and recycling facilities.

Council is committed to meet the implementation plan action items for each of the five themes. This will ensure the Queensland Government waste reduction and recycling targets 2030 are met by the Queensland Government to reduce the impacts on climate change, the environment, and the waste levy on the Bundaberg Regional Council residents and ratepayers.


Thanks to everyone who submitted survey responses. You can read the summary here.


You can download the Bundaberg Regional Council Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan here.



Bundaberg Regional Council’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan that is linked to the Wide Bay-Burnett Regional Waste Management Plan, outlines a clear path forward on how to assist the Bundaberg community to move towards the Queensland Governments aspirational waste reduction and recycling targets of:

  • reducing the amount of waste generated by 15%
  • increasing the amount of materials recycled to 60%
  • increasing the amount of municipal solid waste diverted from landfill to 70%

Currently, each Bundaberg Region household generates 725 kilogram of waste that is landfilled annually via their red lidded residual waste bin. The region’s overall recycling rate from the yellow lidded household bins is only 15% of the materials collected.

The Queensland Levy that is paid on household waste landfilled, to the Queensland State Government is forecast to cost the Bundaberg ratepayers an additional $27,000,000 over the next nine years to 2031/2032 and is a major driver of the proposed actions in the Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan with the aim of limiting the financial burden for residents and ratepayers.

There are several action items that have been identified and the following five themes have been identified:

  • Theme 1: Waste Avoidance and Education
  • Theme 2: Capturing Organics Plans for the Future
  • Theme 3: Use the Right Bin
  • Theme 4: Recovery of Resources
  • Theme 5: Sustainable Waste Services and Infrastructure

The Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan outlines how Council will support the community and work collaboratively with regional and domestic industry to create circular economy principals for resources by:

  • reducing recyclables lost through the red lidded residual waste bin
  • the provision of a food organics and garden organics (FOGO) green lidded bin to a large proportion of the domestic households
  • recovering more resources at their source or at waste and recycling facilities.

Council is committed to meet the implementation plan action items for each of the five themes. This will ensure the Queensland Government waste reduction and recycling targets 2030 are met by the Queensland Government to reduce the impacts on climate change, the environment, and the waste levy on the Bundaberg Regional Council residents and ratepayers.


Thanks to everyone who submitted survey responses. You can read the summary here.


You can download the Bundaberg Regional Council Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan here.



  • Council statement - Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO)

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    FROM BUNDABERG REGIONAL COUNCIL WASTE AND RECYCLING PORTFOLIO SPOKESPERSON CR TANYA MCLOUGHLIN:

    I’d like to clarify misinformation about the cost of a Food Organics and Garden Organics – or FOGO - bin and the transparency of the decision-making process to introduce the trial.

    Figures of $467 a year for the FOGO collection service have been misconstrued.

    There has been no decision to progress with a region-wide FOGO collection service however a preliminary business case estimated the full collection service – including weekly FOGO and fortnightly waste and recycling collection – would cost $467.

    If that estimate is accurate, and with current waste collection charges for waste and recycling sitting at $383 per annum, the cost would be about an extra $84 per year, per household or $1.61 per week.

    Council would also be advocating for State or Federal Government support prior to commencing a FOGO service to reduce the financial burden on ratepayers.

    But those figures aside, there is a huge price to pay if we do nothing at all.

    Bin audits have revealed that more than half of what is being disposed of into landfill from kerbside collection bins is FOGO.

    The amount of Queensland Waste Levy paid to the State Government on landfilled household waste will begin to progressively increase and is forecast to cost the region’s homeowners an additional $27,000,000 over the next nine years.

    We awaited this advice before progressing plans for a FOGO trial so we understood the full cost of inaction.

    Furthermore, landfills are expensive undertakings with a limited lifespan. Initiatives which help us to divert valuable resources from landfill increase the life of the current landfills and have the potential to save millions of dollars.

    In regards to the process – Council has been exceedingly transparent in its approach to undertaking the trial.

    In October 2022 a draft business case was presented to the Council meeting and made available to the public in the agenda.

    At that time, Council agreed to have this draft peer reviewed.

    It returned to the full Council meeting in February this year at which point Council agreed to undertake the trial.

    Undertaking the FOGO trial will allow Council to gather essential data in its consideration of a region-wide rollout of a permanent FOGO collection service.

    Participating households will be surveyed door to door at the beginning of the trial and again during the trial. Audits will be undertaken throughout so that Council can collect this essential data.

    Council is also currently undertaking a Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan survey which gives residents the opportunity to provide feedback on a range of initiatives, including the proposal to introduce a permanent FOGO collection service.

    The draft plan contains a wealth of information around these matters and I encourage everyone to read it and complete the survey.

    We are committed to undertaking this process in a prudent manner but we also need to act now to ensure our community keeps pace with the changing waste management landscape.

Page last updated: 29 Jan 2024, 05:16 PM