More than 55,000 green bins have been dispatched across Cessnock, Maitland and Singleton ready for a new regular kerbside green waste collection across the three local government areas.
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From March 6, the fortnightly collections are expected to help reduce the amount of material entering landfills.
The green-lidded bins can be used for grass clippings, prunings, weeds, leaves, flowers, plants, palm fronds, bark, sticks and branches and untreated timber.
Cessnock City Council moved to introduce a garden organics service as part of its waste management strategy that was adopted in 2014.
This resolution involved investigating opportunities to work with neighbouring councils to facilitate the delivery of the service.
“This is a great joint initiative that will have a really positive impact on the environment in the Lower Hunter,” Cessnock Mayor Bob Pynsent said.
“The convenience of kerbside collection of garden material will also make keeping yards and gardens neat and tidy far easier.”
Maitland Mayor Cr Peter Blackmore said the initiative would keep an estimated 20,000 tonnes of green waste out of landfill.
“People in the three council areas have been waiting such a long time for this to occur,” he said.
“Waste is a very important issue for our communities.”
The Mayor of Singleton, Cr Sue Moore, said the initiative was a “win-win for the community and the environment”.
