Macedon Ranges Shire Council residents will be asked to separate glass from their recycling as the council looks for innovative solutions to the recycling crisis.
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The council was one of more that 33 local government areas affected by teh closure of SKM Recycling. Four Seasons Waste is contracted to collect the shire's recyclable waste and would usually deliver it to an SKM site.
Following SKM's closure, council has found an alternative processor that will only accept recycling loads that do not contain glass.
The shire's acting director of assets and operations Anne-Louise Lindner said she hoped residents would get on board with the council's solution.
"Shards and small pieces of glass can become embedded in paper and cardboard in recycling bins and contaminate the other recyclables," she said.
"We urge residents to remove glass from their bins and help us explore this new option for our recyclables with a new processor."
Ms Lindner said council would conduct bin audits in the coming weeks and monitor the level of glass in the bins.
"If we can see glass has been removed from bins, we may be able to divert recycling from landfill and send the glass-free recycling to this new processor," she said.
Residents can take glass free of charge to council's transfer stations in Kyneton, Woodend and Romsey. As a last resort, glass can be placed in general rubbish bins.
Lancefield residents have already been separating glass from their recyclable waste in a council trial that involves special "glass-only" bins.
Council will consider long-term options regarding recycling at its Ordinary Council Meeting on August 28.
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