AlburyCity, Wodonga, Indigo Shire and Federation Councils are celebrating 10 years since the introduction of the three-bin waste system.
Since its rollout, the system has kept more than 390,000 tonnes of waste out of landfill and turned household scraps into valuable compost for the community.
The four Councils introduced the three-bin system in 2015 under the cross-border Halve Waste initiative. It was designed in response to looming capacity issues at the Albury Waste Management Centre (AWMC), which processes around 200,000 tonnes of waste each year from the wider region.
The Mayors, Council representatives and program partners came together at the AWMC’s SMART Centre today to mark the milestone and celebrate the program’s success.
Albury Mayor, Kevin Mack said the program demonstrated what can be achieved when councils and communities worked together.
“When the program began, our landfill was projected to reach capacity by 2020. A decade later, we’ve collectively extended its life, saved the community more than $30 million in avoided operational costs, and produced compost that’s improving our parks, gardens and agriculture,” Mayor Mack said.
“It’s testament to collaboration, innovation and the community’s commitment to making a difference.”
Results at a glance:
- 135,000 tonnes of recycling and 255,000 tonnes of food and green waste diverted from landfill;
- Landfill waste down 54% at the Albury Waste Management Centre;
- Recycling rates at 84% – exceeding the NSW target of 70%;
- Organics contamination at just 0.17% – among the lowest in the country;
- Coverage has grown from 46,000 to 66,000 households across the region.
Wodonga Council Mayor, Michael Gobel said the anniversary was a proud milestone.
“Through the conscientious work of our local residents over the past decade, we have achieved outstanding results in reducing our waste and creating a more sustainable future. It is immensely rewarding to see what we have accomplished together, and we look forward to continuing this important partnership for many years to come,” said Mayor Gobel.
Indigo Shire has also seen impressive community-driven outcomes through the three-bin system.
“Ten years ago, our community took an important step forward with the introduction of our regional organics kerbside collection service, a decision that’s delivered lasting benefits for our residents, our landfill and our environment,” said Mayor, Sophie Price.
“Since then, we’ve seen a significant reduction in waste going to landfill, healthier composted soils returned to our region, and a stronger sense of community ownership over waste reduction.”
The three-bin model, which includes a dedicated Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection has since been adopted by other councils including Greater Hume and Towong Shire, and continues to expand through pilot initiatives such as soft plastics recovery. The system has been recognised nationally as a best-practice model for regional waste management.
Federation Council Mayor, Cheryl Cook said reaching the 10-year milestone was a powerful demonstration of what councils and our community can achieve together.
“The success of the three-bin system is truly a partnership: our residents embraced the changes, leading to an outstanding organics contamination rate that’s one of the lowest in the country. This commitment isn’t just about making our bins look good; it’s translated into over 390,000 tonnes of waste being diverted from landfill across the region. The shift to FOGO has been key to securing a more sustainable and cost-effective waste future for our entire region,” said Mayor Cook.
The Councils say education has been a cornerstone of the program’s success. Halve Waste continues to deliver school programs, facility tours and face-to-face community engagement. Initiatives like the 2023 ReEngage Albury campaign have improved recycling access and reduced contamination across diverse communities.
To thank residents for supporting the program, the four founding councils are hosting a free compost giveaway next month.
