Mitchell Shire’s resource recovery services are changing for the better with the construction of a new $8 million Seymour Resource Recovery Centre, designed to encourage more materials to be recycled to reduce the waste being sent to landfill.
The state-of-art venue at 470 Seymour-Tooborac Road, Hilldene, was officially opened by Mitchell Shire Mayor Fiona Stevens on Friday.
It will open to the public in coming weeks after final touches are complete.
By making it easier for people to recycle, Seymour Resource Recovery Centres will help council meet its target to divert 80 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030.
The facility focuses on a ‘cradle to cradle’ or ‘circular economy’ approach, which will seek to educate residents on the importance of reusing resources and minimising waste to landfill.
The centre provides customers with a recycling focused, drive-through experience spanning two levels.
On the lower level, there are designated areas to drop off specific items that are able to be recycled including e-waste, drumMUSTER, foam, mattresses, fluoro lights, motor oil, batteries, white goods, gas cylinders, and tyres.
On the upper deck, customers can use designated bays to drop off more recyclable materials including metal, cardboard, mixed recycling, and green waste.
Waste items that aren’t able to be recycled will be deposited at the end of the visit into general waste bins to be sent to landfill.
People sorting their loads will be more important than ever at the centre, as many recyclable items if separated can be dropped off for little or no charge.
Many of the unwanted goods dropped off at the facility will also be available for sale in the purpose-built reuse shop on site.
The centre also features a designated education space, which will host waste education tours and workshops for schools and the community.
Cr Fiona Stevens said the centre was built by using sustainable practices, including a meeting room table and artwork made from mixed recycling.
Other sustainable features include plywood cabinetry, reclaimed wooden trims, cork flooring, zincalume cladding, energy-efficient lighting and recycled plastic bollards.
The centre uses a 50kw solar system on the roof and harvests rainwater for all of the site’s water needs.
“This is an important state-of-the-art facility not only for Seymour but for all of Mitchell Shire and the Goulburn Valley region,” Cr Stevens said.
“Seymour, like all of Mitchell, is seeing significant population growth. This facility is part of preparing for that growth and managing the existing and future demand.
“The construction of this facility will ensure that council can maintain compliance with the significant changes we have seen in the waste and resource recovery sector over the past few years.
“It will help us prioritise resource recovery and encourage better reuse of products and items to help build a sustainable future and support a local circular economy.”
Cr Stevens said the Mitchell community had told council that reducing the shire’s environmental impact was important.
“Changing from a linear economy to a circular economy provides more benefits to our environment and our shire more broadly,” she said.
“Reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill is something we need to do together, with both council and residents playing their part.”
The centre, the first facility to be constructed in the Hillldene Employment Precinct, was funded by council’s $7.4 million, $500,000 through Sustainability Victoria’s Resource Recovery Infrastructure Fund and an E-waste Infrastructure Grant of $100,000.
The centre will be open Monday 10am to 4pm; Tuesday 10am to 4pm; Thursday 10am to 4pm; Saturday 10am to 4pm; Sunday 10am to 4pm; and closed Wednesday and Friday.
