Local tip far from rubbish

31 August 2009

Wodonga’s Kane Road waste transfer station has been named the best small transfer station in Australia.

The station, which was designed by local consultants GHD, receives approximately 7500 tonnes of waste a year. Since opening in 2006, it has been the catalyst for changing the way locals think about the environment by showing that waste management is everybody’s responsibility.

Roadside littering in Wodonga has fallen 20 percent in the past two years and 71 percent of waste is now being recycled or reused, compared to five percent at Wodonga’s old landfill site, which was ageing and out of step with Wodonga City Council’s sustainability principles.

The National Landfill and Transfer Stations Excellence Awards recognised the waste transfer station’s success in managing waste in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner.

The station won based on its sustainable design principles, environmental controls and operational systems, including:

Wodonga City Council Civic Services Manager Mark Verbaken said: "The station plays a central role in achieving the targets set in the Toward Zero Waste Strategy and has transformed Wodonga’s waste management, allowing a large proportion of recycling and providing conveniently-located facilities for people to deposit their waste".

GHD Wodonga Manager Colin Elliott said: "GHD is committed to sustainable development and we are proud to have been involved in creating an innovative design that has helped our community manage its waste in a more sustainable way".

For further information, contact:

Sonia Adams

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