After several years of promises (from both sides) and trials, the Chief Minister, Rosemary Follett, committed the Government to introducing Budget has agreed to introduce weekly garbage collections with 160 litre wheeled plastic garbage bins and a further fortnightly collection of recyclables in a 180-litre bin.
Trial began in Kaleen more than a year ago and then in two more suburbs.
Under the new system residents will be able to put clean paper and cardboard, glass and PET plastic into the recycling bin and their other garbage in the weekly collection.
Contracts for the bins are in the process of being let.
Ms Follett said the Government would provide the bins to every home.
“”Everyone will be able to participate in recycling,” she said.
It would put an end to the days of travelling to the nearest recycling centre to rid the house of papers and bottles.
The president of the Canberra Conservation Council, Jacqui Rees, welcomed kerbside recycling throughout Canberra. The Kaleen trial had shown a 99 per cent participation rate.
However, the long term goal was to cut waste and this was a step in an evolutionary process.
In other environment initiatives, the Government promised $150,000 for the management of Mulligans Flat which will be established as a Nature Reserve; funding to develop a strategy to combat invasive weeds; money for legislation to protect endangered species; a study on job in eco-tourism; environmental technology and other green industries.
Ms Rees said the prospects of green industries for exports had potential and the Budget’s move to a wider economic base with the Fyshwick technology park had potential, provided it did not degenerate into another clerical centre like Fern Hill.