Indicator: Solid waste| Indicator description | Complete list of Indicators | What the results tell us for TumutThe first year of the reporting period showed a drop from the tonnages reported for 1996–97 (5322 tonnes reducing to 4805 tonnes). However, tonnages increased in both the subsequent years and in 1999–2000, 6203 tonnes of household, commercial and building waste were deposited in landfill in Tumut Shire. This represents an increase for the reporting period while the population actually decreased in the same period by some 287 people. The Council reports that it has set no waste reduction targets, apart from the State Government's target of a 60% reduction on 1990 levels by 2000, and does not have a current waste reduction strategy or management plan.
The Shire is well served with waste disposal land, with 20 hectares currently in use and a further 47.91 hectares set aside for future use. The Council has a mannned waste transfer site at Talbingo and three manned waste disposal sites at Tumut, Adelong and Batlow, which are estimated to have a life of 30 years at projected rates. Tumut Council is part of the South West Region Waste Management Group, cooperating with six other Councils to develop a regional waste disposal site. About the dataCurrently the Tumut Shire Council keeps a record of volumes and types of waste deposited in landfill sites. Description: What does 'solid waste' measure?Which data are collected?
Why do we report this indicator?Solid waste includes household and commercial waste that rots over time (called putrescible waste), inert household and commercial waste that does not rot, builders' spoil and clean fill generated during construction, commercial waste from food processing and distribution, office generated waste, industrial waste from manufacturing processes and waste from research activities. The amount of urban waste generated and disposed of (either legally or illegally dumped) indicates the pressure of cities and the associated waste on the environment through potential contamination of soils and groundwaters, and the physical area of land used for waste disposal. It is one indicator of the sustainability of cities. The amount of waste generated should be compared with progress towards the aims of:
Other types of waste include liquid waste, such as sewage and stormwater; gaseous wastes such as greenhouse gases, and hazardous wastes. Reducing the amount of waste generated by "reducing, recycling and re-using" is one strategy for reducing this pressure on the environment. An even better strategy is to avoid producing waste in the first place, i.e. at the time of manufacture. |