Latest project update
Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts on this project as part of phase 2 of engagement. We have reviewed your feedback. See a summary of what you shared with us or read the Community Engagement Report.
See how we used your feedback below.
Project background
Council’s municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling rate was tracking at 34%, well below the recycling target of 50% by 2025. Improving recovery rates in yellow-lid recycling bins was identified as a key opportunity to improve this performance. At the same time, many recyclable items were being lost to landfill through red-lid general waste bins. This demonstrated a clear need for Council to improve yellow-lid recycling and work towards meeting targets in line with the Resource Recovery Strategy.
Council participated in the State Government’s Let's Get It Sorted initiative to support waste reduction, improve recycling outcomes, and implement behaviour change interventions aimed at enhancing kerbside recycling collection services.
A first phase of engagement was conducted to gather community feedback and better understand public perspectives and the drivers behind waste and resource recovery behaviours. A second phase of engagement was then delivered to assess the initial impact of changes made in response to Phase 1 feedback. Council thanks everyone who contributed.
How we used your feedback
Your feedback has helped us continue to improve the community's resource recovery awareness and behaviours. Some of the ways this has been done include:
What we heard from respondents was high levels of support (86%) for education initiatives to improve resource recovery habits in Ipswich. To support this, Ipswich City Council has undertaken:
♻️ Newspaper ads
♻️Online videos
♻️Social media ads
♻️School programs
♻️Other printed ads
♻️Pop up events
Council will continue to engage online and in-person with households providing practical tips and guidance on correct waste sorting.
Community feedback highlighted a strong desire to reduce the costs associated with managing household waste.
In response, Ipswich City Council has introduced and expanded a range of programs to support residents and make waste management more affordable and accessible. These include:
♻️Free green waste weekends, allowing residents to dispose of garden waste at no cost
♻️Pensioner discounts to help reduce the financial burden on eligible households
♻️Organics at Home program, offering residents free compost bins or worm farms to manage food and garden waste at home.
♻️The recently introduced citywide garden organics bin service, making it easier for households to recycle green waste through their regular collection
These initiatives are supported by ongoing education campaigns, including increased promotion of existing free drop-off services for a range of recoverable materials.
Together, these programs provide practical, low-cost ways for residents to reduce waste, increase recycling, and manage organics more sustainably. Learn more about these services and how to access them here.
