Council encourages a leafy clean-up made easier with green bins

Published: 10 May 2024 1:27pm

While Autumn is considered one of the most scenic times of year to be out and about in Wagga Wagga, it’s no secret that it is also the season of the clean-up, with large amounts of fallen leaves across the city to be regularly disposed of in the coming months.

But never fear: green bins are here, providing residents with an effective solution to this pretty but often inconvenient problem.

There are, of course, street sweepers operating on a regular schedule. While they are helpful in managing scattered leaves and keeping our streets tidy, it is important to remember they also aren’t built to dispose of rows or piles of leaves.

In fact, these piles can often hide additional debris, such as rocks, pebbles, large sticks, and even bits of metal which affect the ability of the machine to sweep up the leaves.

Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bins, however – identifiable by their green lid – are designed for the easy disposal of green waste like fallen leaves and small sticks. They enable residents to regularly manage fallen leaves on or near their property, in a way that also contributes to a safer and

That said, before you bid farewell to those leaves, don’t underestimate their potential to play a healthy role in creating a beautiful yard space! Fallen leaves make excellent natural garden mulch, aiding in soil temperature regulation and enriching garden beds in preparation for new growth in Spring.

Meanwhile, Director Infrastructure Services Warren Faulkner noted that residents can be assured Council has the overall cleanliness of their streets in mind, including the hire of an additional sweeper to help with the challenge. However, for these sweeping beauties to do their best work, they rely on community cooperation.

“We have regular rosters in place for both bin collection and street sweeping,” Mr Faulkner said.

“Council looks forward to again partnering with residents via the regular use of green bins, to keep our neighbourhoods tidy and beautiful over the coming months.”

Council also encourages residents, where possible, to park their vehicles off the street overnight. This allows street sweepers to efficiently clean the streets early in the morning, ensuring they are clear for the day's traffic.

To find out more about current guidelines surrounding green bin usage and the correct disposal of organic green waste, visit the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) website for more information.