Councils are largely responsible for managing our waste to landfill or recycling and keeping our waterways clean. Did you know that compost from recycled food and garden organic waste is a solution to both these challenges? In this episode we talk to a council that’s trialling waste reduction initiatives to achieve sustainability and circular economy goals.

Tune in to learn

  • How the City of Newcastle is working to reducing waste and recycle food and garden organics. (01:57)

  • How the City of Newcastle and the Centre for Organic Research and Education conducted a successful trial using compost in stormwater biofiltration (4:04)

  • How food and garden organics recycling can divert waste from landfill and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (09:51)

  • How compost has added benefits including increasing infiltration and storing more soil moisture. (11:09)

  • How development control plans need to be changed to encourage the use of recycled materials in biofilters for new developments. (12:52)

  • How councils across the Hunter region are implementing a circular economy procurement project to help procure more recycled organics products. (18:17)

About our guests

  • Carol Duncan, Councillor, City of Newcastle newcastle.nsw.gov.au

  • Eric Love, Chairman, Centre for Organic Research and Education core.asn.au

  • Tim Askew, Regional Policy and Program Manager, Hunter Joint Organisation hunterjo.com.au

Resources and links

  • To learn more, visit circularag.com.au/compost