Call for Curby Support in Scone
BY DI SNEDDON
Scone residents are being urged to show support for a new soft plastics reclamation program called for by Scone Tidy Towns.
Tidy Towner Clare Allanson is working on an initiative to trial the introduction of Curby in the Upper Hunter Shire that members believe will be a game changer for sustainability in the area.
The Curby innovative initiative, which is run in conjunction with councils, recyclers, and leading brands, gives residents a free, home-based option to recycle clean, soft plastics that are not able to be placed loosely in their yellow-lid kerbside bin, including shopping bags, chip packets, bread bags and bubble wrap.
Currently, these items can only be recycled through community drop-off sites such as the REDcycle bins found at selected supermarkets. The limited number of locations means that around 94 per cent of soft plastics across Australia still end up in landfill or being disposed of as litter, causing significant damage to the environment and marine life.
By using Curby, households can package their soft plastics into shopping sized bags and place these in their yellow bins. Clothes can also be bundled up, placed in a bag with a sticker and put in the yellow bin.
“We need to satisfy Curby that we have enough support for 1000 households to trial the initiative in the Upper Hunter,” Clare said.
If the trial is accepted and proves viable, the Upper Hunter Shire will become the fourth local government area in New South Wales to implement the scheme. Newcastle, Tamworth and the Central Coast already use Curby.
“Lots of people want it, we know that and Curby couldn’t be easier,” Clare said.
Meanwhile Scone Tidy Towns committee is preparing for the upcoming State Awards presentation that will be held in their town in November.
They have entered Green Seed Grocer in the circular economy category, Where There’s A Will in the bush spirit category and the Hug for Ukraine project by Janno McLaughlin in the local legend category.