Binning it

Harrison Temple and Jessikah Watson of Oak Flats Soccer Club

SPORT fans across the region can now do their bit for the environment with the introduction of a recycling program for bottles and cans at local sporting fields.

The Dont waste our sportsgrounds campaign is the first permanent public place recycling program introduced in the Illawarra and Shellharbour City is the first council in the region to undertake the pilot project.

Specialised recycling bins have been installed at Panorama Oval in Oak Flats, as well as signage indicating where to place rubbish.

The program will run on a trail basis over the winter sporting season. After about six weeks from the installation date all of the recycling will be physically audited to determine the success of what people are using the bins for.?

Dee Topic, environmental waste officer at Shellharbour City Council, said if the trial works over this season it will continue into the coming years and be expanded to other sporting grounds.

She believes sporting clubs and spectators will respond positively to the project.

People are pretty willing to do the right thing, she said.

Announcements will be made over the PA during sporting events alerting people of the new recycle bins.

Mayor David Hamilton said the project would increase recycling recovery rates in turn reducing landfill.

Council and the residents of Shellharbour are very proud of their record of environmental consciousness and we have a great commitment to recycling household waste so Im very keen to see that extend to recycling at public venues, said Mr Hamilton.

As part of the project regular audits will be conducted to measure the effectiveness of the public place recycling system.

I encourage residents and visitors of all ages who use Panorama Oval to be mindful of the initiative and do their bit for the environment while enjoying a sporting day out, said Mr Hamilton.

The project is supported by the sustainability programs division of the Department of Environment and Conservation as well as the Australian Food and Grocery Council Packaging Stewardship Forum.