Waste Legislation, Statistics and Documents

Keep updated with how the City of Kwinana is preforming in the waste space. This page provides City statistics, information on the Waste Local Law, state strategies and much more. 

City of Kwinana Waste Performance

The City of Kwinana provides a range of waste and recycling services to our residents. Information below shows waste and recycling data collected from kerbside bins and verge collections, as well as compositional audit data and data collected from annual bin tagging program.

Annual Waste Statistics

Each year, each household in the City of Kwinana receives:

  • 52 waste bin collections  
  • 26 recycling bins collections
  • 2 bulk waste verge collections
  • 3 green waste verge collection

From these collections, the below tonnages have been collected for each waste stream over the past few years.

  • Total tonnes per year

  • Total kg per household per year

  • City of Kwinana's recovery against Waste Authority targets

                 2014-152015-162016-172017-182018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-24
    Population36,77238,86340,95442,67344,30745,95347,64249,46250,42753,631
    Total domestic waste generated (tonnes)18,62518,43719,18719,43217,98320,16821,45219,76420,69920,666
    Overall recovery (%)23252422252420191818
    Material recovery (%)23252422252420191818
    Energy Recovery (%)0000000000
    Waste sent to landfill (%)77757678757680818225

     

Compositional Waste Data

The City of Kwinana conducts annual waste audits on hundreds of houses throughout the City. The City weights all waste by their material type to see how we are performing.

Compositional audits are conducted regularly throughout the City with the following findings:

  • 45% of the waste bin was comprised of recyclable materials (see 2022 Compositional Audit Waste Bin figure below).
  • 5% of the recycling bin was comprised of general waste, resulting in high contamination rates in the recycling bin (see 2022 Compositional Audit Recycling Bin figure below).
  • The contamination found within the recycling bin comprised of 29% green waste, 13% soft plastic and 17% hazardous waste such as aerosol cans (see 2022 Compositional Audit Recycling Bin Contamination Breakdown figure below).
  • 2022 Compositional Audit Waste Bin

    2022-Compositional-Audit-Waste-Bin.png

  • 2022 Compositional Audit Recycling Bin

    2022-Compositional-Audit-Recycling-Bin.png

  • 2022 Compositional Audit Recycling Bin Contamination Breakdown

    2022-Compositional-Audit-Recycling-Bin-Contamination-Breakdown.png

Bin Tagging

The City of Kwinana audits 2,000 bins every year as part of its bin tagging program, providing direct education to residents with the goals of reducing contamination rates. Bin tagging results showed that around 70% of households were recycling correctly. 30% of residents needed help to identify which bin some items must be placed in. Bin tags with happy or sad faces were used to show items that were in the wrong bin and which bin they should be placed in.

  • Percentage of tags used

    bin-tagging-tags.png

  • Percentage of contamination type

    contamination-types-in-recycling-bin.png

Want to learn more about how we’re preforming?

Visit the MyCouncil Waste and Recycling dashboard for more information.

Waste Local Law 2022

The City of Kwinana has adopted a local law relating to waste and refuse.

The City’s Waste Local Law was introduced so that residents can be part of a greater community movement to manage waste and recycling in a more sustainable manner, improving resource recovery and better protecting infrastructure, people and our environment.

Waste Local Law FAQ's

What does the introduction of the Waste Local Law mean to residents?

It means that residents can be part of a greater community movement to manage waste and recycling in a more sustainable manner, improving resource recovery and protecting expensive infrastructure, people and our environment.

Why does the City need a Waste Local Law?

Undertaking waste and recycling collections is not without risk to the environment and our neighbourhood amenities unless managed properly. The City needs a Waste Local Law that aims to ensure waste is disposed of correctly and safely, protecting, assets and our environment.

Is the Waste Local Law completely new?

Many elements of the City’s Waste Local Law are not new. The Waste Local Law has consolidated waste and recycling requirements into one document to simplify and strengthen the sustainable management of waste and recycling in Kwinana.

Does the Waste Local Law mean residents can be fined for doing the wrong thing with their waste and recycling?

The City’s emphasis is on educating the community. Fines will generally only be given when repeated advice is not acted upon, or when dangerous/hazardous goods are placed out for collection that creates an unacceptable level of risk.

What are hazardous goods?

Asbestos, batteries, gas bottles/aerosol cans, containers of chemicals, oils and flares are some items that are considered hazardous. For more information, see Household Hazardous Waste Information and Disposal Sites.

Why fine people for placing hazardous and dangerous goods for collection?

Hazardous wastes are items that have the potential to be dangerous to the community and environment if not disposed of in the correct manner. They can cause fires, explosions, spills or other hazards that may result in injuries, death and damage.

Does this mean that the City will be checking residents’ bins?

The introduction of the Waste Local Law is not intended to increase bin audits. Audits are conducted when the City receives a complaint from the public or by our contractors. All collection trucks used in the City of Kwinana are fitted with onboard cameras to improve safety, provide service confirmation and identify contamination.

The City has an education-first approach and will continue the annual bin tagging education program with the aim to reduce waste going to landfill and improve recycling rates in Kwinana. Bin tagging is intended to help residents recycle more effectively and is not used for enforcement purposes. Bins are not checked until placed out for collection. 

What are some of the things the Waste Local Law prohibits and what will these cost in fines?

Some of the key things the Waste Local Law prohibits include:

  • Putting hazardous wastes in bins ($350) or the verge collection ($400).
  • Placing your bulk and green wastes out too early or too late ($400).
  • Putting recyclable materials in your general waste bin ($350).
  • Putting garden or general waste in your recycle bin ($350).
  • Illegal dumping will incur a $500 fine and the cost of clean-up and disposal.

City of Kwinana Waste Plan 2021-2025

The City’s Waste Plan ensures that waste avoidance and environmental protection is an integral part of the City’s activities. The City aims to achieve a sustainable, cost effective and best practice approach to waste management that supports our community, economy and environment. The Waste Plan has been guided by the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2007 and the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030. The Waste Plan’s overarching objectives directly align with those of the Waste Strategy 2030 as follows;

  1. Avoid; generate less waste
  2. Recover; recover more value and resources from waste
  3. Protect; protect the environment by managing waste responsibly

To ensure that we are working towards these goals, the City needs you to avoid, recover and protect our environment by thinking before you throw.

To find out more, view our plan here:

Waste Plan 2021-2025

City of Kwinana Litter and Illegal Dumping Plan

To enhance and protect our environment, the City is committed to preventing litter and illegal dumping, removing litter and illegal dumping as soon as practicable, and educating our community as litter and illegal dumping can cause significant environmental, social and economic impacts, including reduced visual amenity, harm to wildlife and costly clean-ups.

To ensure that we are working towards our goals in the Waste Plan, the City created a Litter and Illegal Dumping Plan in 2023 outlining goals as well as actions planned to achieve our goals. The goals of this plan are to:

  1. Reduce litter and illegal dumping
  2. Improve how litter and illegal dumping is managed
  3. Increase community awareness and empowerment  

Litter and Illegal Dumping Plan 

More information and contacts

State Waste Strategy

State Governments Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 outlines strategic goals to achieve significant improvements in recycling, waste reduction, construction, and demolition waste diversion, and better managing commercial and industrial waste.

To view this Strategy, visit Waste Authority’s website.

WA Plastic Ban

The WA Government is implementing strategies to reduce the impacts of single-use plastics, including bans on problematic plastic items.

To find out what is coming in this ban, and alternative products, visit WA Plastic Ban