Surf Coast Shire Council has adopted an action plan to help drive a circular economy across the shire - avoiding waste, increasing resource recovery and regenerating nature.
The Circular Economy Action Plan 2024-2027 (CEAP) outlines clear directions for Council and support for our community, defining key priority areas, actions and targets.
A circular economy avoids waste and keeps valuable resources in use for as long as possible through reusing, repairing, sharing and recycling, in contrast to a linear economy based on a take-make-use-dispose approach.
Council resolved at its July meeting to adopt the CEAP, endorsing its five priority areas for action including:
- Increasing resource recovery – focusing on education, engagement and behaviour change.
- Maximising reuse – keeping materials in use for as long as possible, in Council operations and through community initiatives.
- Innovation and collaboration – working with key partners to better understand issues, devise solutions and inspire positive action.
- Driving systems change – embedding circular economy principles in strategic Council documents and improving data collection.
- Advocacy – through Council advocating for government support for meaningful changes supporting circular economy, and empowering community to advocate and actively drive a circular economy.
Factors driving the transition to a circular economy in Surf Coast Shire include Council's strong commitment to climate action and protecting the environment, increasing costs associated with waste management, the closure of Anglesea landfill in coming years, and a growing population leading to more waste.
The action plan includes 25 actions for Council and community and sets a range of targets to enable monitoring of progress.
"This is a positive and proactive step, which will help to guide a Council and community-wide transition to a circular economy," Cr Kate Gazzard said.
"Though Council has demonstrated a strong commitment to reducing waste and maximising resource recovery across years, this is our first formal Circular Economy Action Plan.
"We recognise how committed our community is to sustainable living, and that many great circular economy initiatives are already underway. We now look forward to the action plan providing a strategic and collaborative pathway to further drive both the Council and community circular transition.
"We thank community members for their valuable feedback and support on the draft action plan during our consultation period. The action plan will help us to have a far greater impact on reducing waste and increasing resource recovery together.
"We now encourage residents to embrace a circular economy mindset in their daily lives."
Actions might include people buying only what is needed, buying items made with recycled content, buying pre-loved items potentially via online platforms, avoiding single-use disposable items, repairing items potentially using community services such as Repair Café Surf Coast, home composting, donating unwanted goods, and using the four kerbside bins at home correctly.
The CEAP aligns with Victorian and Australian government goals and targets, the Council Plan 2021-2025 and the Climate Emergency Response Plan 2021-2031.
View the plan via surfcoast.vic.gov.au/CircularEconomy
