Most people think this material is ‘no problem’ because it decomposes but things are not that simple. When greenwaste is buried in landfill it decomposes without much oxygen so releases many times more methane than it does if it decomposes above ground with plenty of oxygen. In the atmosphere, methane is a very powerful greenhouse gas – far more powerful and damaging than carbon dioxide. So greenwaste is, in fact, only ‘no problem’ if it is composted above ground.
Worth Doing
Small to moderate amounts of can be mulched or composted or, if not ‘woody’, used in a worm farm.
You might be surprised how easy it can be for even the smallest business to operate a worm farm for material like lunch scraps.
Some councils accept and in some cases segregate greenwaste (garden waste) at their landfill or waste transfer station.
The Town of Claremont provides free woodchip mulch next to the Claremont Train Station, and the Cities of Wanneroo & Joondalup sell a semi-composted mulch product made from greenwaste at their Motivation Drive, Wangara, greenwaste recycling facility.
Safety Tip
Greenwaste should be stored in such away that it is not able to be blown around by the wind. Large volumes of greenwaste if allowed to dry out can present a potential fire hazard.
If transporting greenwaste on a trailer or ute, cover and secure it to avoid wind-blown litter.
For more information contact the
Recycle @ Work Hotline on 1800 819 000.
