The City of Boroondara is a great place to live, learn, work and play. With open space, trees, and parklands key features in our municipality, it’s important to keep investing in sustainability initiatives which minimise our environmental footprint.
As part of our commitment to improving our City’s environmental sustainability, Council is taking a number of steps in 2019 to reuse materials and reduce waste, including:
- joining a council-led consortium of over 45 local governments on a clean energy power purchase agreement
- laying recycled and reclaimed asphalt on our local roads
- launching a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) waste collection service
- continuing to implement Council’s Sustainable Buildings policy for new projects over $1 million
- using recycled materials for ‘soft fall’ rubber surfaces in playgrounds
- refurbishing seats and bins in shopping centres and parks
- using recycled fine crushed rock (made from removed concrete footpaths) for civil projects
- repurposing timber products for garden and park mulch
- using recycled timber in community garden beds, boardwalks and seating.
Mayor of Boroondara Cr Jane Addis said Council was implementing policies to reduce pollution and maintain the City’s reputation as one that cares for its environment.
“Our community expects Council to proactively implement sustainability initiatives such as the introduction of a food organics and garden organics waste service (FOGO), using recycled rubber and wood in our playgrounds, parks and gardens and laying out asphalt made from recycled materials”, said Cr Addis.
In the 2018-19 financial year, Council surfaced roads with almost 2,000 tonnes of asphalt made from recycled rubbish. For every kilometre of asphalt laid in Boroondara, Council has prevented the equivalent of 530,000 plastic bags, 168,000 recycled glass bottles and 12,300 ink toners from going to landfill.
“Boroondara is stepping up and taking the lead on how Councils can become more sustainable and reduce our environmental impact with smarter, cleaner decisions and policies”, said Mayor Jane Addis.
Information on Boroondara’s key local sustainability initiatives
Sustainable Buildings Policy
Council’s Sustainable Buildings Policy requires a minimum standard of a 5-Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia for building projects costing over $1 million.
Achieving this standard will deliver buildings which are healthier and more comfortable for users while also offering ongoing financial savings from reduced energy and water use.
Recently completed community facilities such as the Balwyn Park Centre, Greythorn Community Hub and Balwyn Library have all been designed and constructed to achieve the 5-Star standard.
Download the Sustainable Council Buildings Policy 2016 (PDF, 723 KB).
Clean energy power purchase agreement
In August 2019, Boroondara Councillors unanimously endorsed the City’s participation in a tender with other councils in Victoria to purchase renewable electricity.
A local government consortium of 45 councils will use their combined buying power to engage with electricity retailers to secure 100% clean electricity via a Power Purchase Agreement.
This will help Council to reduce the use of electricity sourced from fossil fuels.
Read Council’s media release on this Agreement.
Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO)
From May 2020, Boroondara will commence a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) recycling service for residents who use its kerbside waste collection services. This service has been brought forward from its initial launch date of 2020/21.
Residents will be able to place food and garden waste in the same bin, diverting up to 19,000 tonnes of waste from landfill each year and preventing harmful greenhouse gases.
The FOGO material collected will be processed into soil conditioning products for use in agriculture and horticulture across the City.
