Reducing waste across the city

Collecting and disposing of waste from residences, businesses and public space is an important role of the City of Melbourne. In March 2009, public comment was invited on our draft service standards for waste collection and storage in the central city. The standards are designed to improve amenity, particularly for Melbourne’s renowned laneways, with prescribed collection hours, safe and clean storage of bins and a range of other measures.

More than 100 submissions were received expressing a high level of support for the standards (87 per cent of submissions). Council approval and implementation of the standards is scheduled for 2009–10.

The City of Melbourne partnered with the Butt Littering Trust to target cigarette butt litter in 2008–09. While a December 2008 audit of butt litter in the central city indicated less of this type of litter compared with two years ago, cigarette butts still continue to be the main source of rubbish in city streets.

The Butt Free City campaign increased enforcement and education on the streets and was supported by the installation of new cigarette bins across the city. A litter blitz followed up these initiatives with on-the-spot litter fines issued.

The City of Melbourne worked with the EPA to conduct litter campaigns at railway stations. Our street compliance officers are on the streets every day and the targeted campaigns will continue to be held quarterly.

Managing our own waste
As the owner of administration buildings and facilities across the municipality, and as a large employer, the City of Melbourne is also a generator of waste.

Since 2003–04, City of Melbourne staff have dramatically increased the percentage of waste they recycle from 36 per cent to 75 per cent. In the same period waste to landfill per employee reduced by 50 per cent, from 58 kilograms per employee to 29 kilograms.

Figure 9. Total City of Melbourne staff waste to landfill and waste recycled
Source: Biennial waste audit

Waste audits are conducted every second year throughout the organisation and include waste from administrative buildings and child care centres. A breakdown of waste by activity and waste by type, compared to base year 2003–04 is provided in the two tables below.

Table 8. A breakdown of waste by activity at the City of Melbourne

Developing Docklands, Melbourne’s waterfront suburb

In March 2009 the Melbourne City Council approved the Docklands Waterways Strategic Plan 2008–2018. The plan was developed in partnership with VicUrban and Parks Victoria and sets out a vision for ensuring quality development and management of the area’s waterways and waterfront spaces, new facilities to support diverse uses and equity and ease of access to Docklands for all Melburnians. Work on prioritising and delivering on the plan’s recommendations also started in 2008–09.

The City of Melbourne continues to broaden the appeal of Docklands to residents, businesses and visitors. In August 2008 the Docklands community was invited to be part of a Working Together for Melbourne forum to share ideas and discuss local issues with councillors and senior City of Melbourne staff.

A diverse program of events organised by the City of Melbourne attracted visitors to Docklands restaurants, venues and public spaces throughout the year. This included New Year’s Eve fireworks, music and other celebrations. A winter program of events, Ignite at Docklands, featured fire and light-themed performances, installations and entertainment. In June 2009, the City of Melbourne’s Waterfront Marina hosted movies on the water for the area’s boating community.