Background

This project is in collaboration and co-funded by Green Industries SA. The Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Act 2020 & associated regulations is expected to change the composition of red bin waste in public precincts and places. Waste audits already show - and as stakeholders and businesses move increasingly towards compostable alternatives - that there’s an opportunity to provide green organics bins in public spaces to collect these materials together with food scraps, for recycling instead of landfilling. The project will be facilitated as a pilot with monitoring and feedback loops for 12 months, after which it is envisaged that if the pilot is successful, it will be embedded in the Rundle Mall long-term.
The City of Adelaide Strategic Plan 2020 -2024 is committed to Environmental Leadership and Council has adopted the Resource Recovery (Organics, Recycling and Waste) Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2028, which has clear targets to increase consumer-centric waste systems in public places that support diversion of food waste and compostable materials away from landfill.
Rundle Mall is positioned to be the first public precinct in South Australia to pilot a specifically designed green organics recycling system, which aligns strongly with Rundle Mall’s business plan focus to advocate for innovative solutions to support visitor experience.
Benefits of the pilot program include:
- Actively supporting efforts of stakeholders and business owners who have moved to compostable serve ware items by providing strong systems and aligned education for customers and Mall users to enable recovery of these materials.
- Installation of new infrastructure and system design in public spaces specifically for Mall customers and users to increase resource recovery without compromising on aesthetics or litter control within the precinct.
- Recovery of organic material for processing into soil improvement products.
- Contribute to positioning Rundle Mall as an environmental precinct leader and drive positive interest in the precinct.
We anticipate that the community may see this project as:
- Creating positive change by connecting systems that community is familiar with at home and at work, with what’s available in a public space - yellow recycle bin, green organics bin, and red waste bin; and
- An opportunity to improve waste diversion and recycling outcomes for the precinct; and
- Council taking steps to protect our environment - increasing recycling and decreasing landfill.

Consultation has concluded