Sustainability Awards
Port Phillip Council has won two separate statewide sustainability awards as it strives to lighten its environmental footprint and encourage more people to reuse and recycle organic waste.
On Tuesday night, Council took out the ‘Environmental Sustainability Award’ at the prestigious IPAA Victoria Leadership in the Public Sector Awards. And last night it won another gong, the equally prestigious ‘Environmental Sustainability Award’ at the 2017 LGPro Awards for Excellence.
Council owns and manages the popular South Melbourne Market, and both awards were for the Market’s innovative organic waste systems.
Port Phillip Council Mayor Bernadene Voss said the award-winning systems were proving it was possible to successfully divert organic waste from landfill at such a large scale.
“Our Market is the first retail market in Australia to adopt this technology and the results really are outstanding,” Cr Voss said. “Thanks to our twin award-winning projects, we’re already diverted from landfill about 950 tonnes of green and food waste.
“Shoppers here can take a bow too, because when they choose produce here, they automatically divert more on-site organic waste from landfill. Our stallholders also deserve praise because they’ve fully supported this innovative waste management program and helped us deliver the widespread benefits.
The Market’s award-winning waste program includes two processes that recycle organic waste; a vermicomposting worm farm project and the installation of a GaiaRecycle machine that heats and dehydrates organic material.
This has seen more than a 90 per cent reduction in organic waste volume at the Market and spawned the production of two nutrient-rich, garden fertiliser products sold at the Market.
IPAA Victoria CEO David Ali said: “I would like to congratulate Port Phillip Council for their excellent project that pushed the boundaries and demonstrated what success in public administration looks like.”
City of Port Phillip Mayor Bernadene Voss
“These awards are one of the few opportunities we have as a sector to acknowledge the ‘wins’ and the people who strive for excellence across our state.”
Last night’s announcement of the 2017 LGPro Awards for Excellence winners, celebrated the outstanding work being undertaken and delivered by individuals and teams working in Local Government in Victoria.