Waste Initiatives

The Great Unwaste is Australia’s first nationwide household behaviour change campaign focused on reducing food waste. Led by End Food Waste Australia (EFWA) in partnership with the NSW EPA, the initiative empowers councils and communities to rethink how food is consumed, stored, and discarded.

Armidale Regional Council is proud to be part of this movement, integrating The Great Unwaste messaging into local engagement activities and staff waste avoidance projects. Like the City to Soil program—the council is helping residents take practical steps toward meeting ambitious targets: halving organic waste to landfill by 2030.

For more information visit: Welcome to The Great Unwaste — Let’s turn food waste around.

The snowstorm clean-up resulted in 2,000 tonnes of green waste being disposed of across our community. While the clean-up has now concluded, any further green waste disposal must follow the standard drop-off process and associated fees. Armidale Regional Council thanks the community for their cooperation and is pleased to offer free mulch to residents every weekend throughout October, a joint initiative between Council’s Waste and Water teams to support both recovery and water conservation efforts.

Residents are invited to take advantage of free mulch giveaway throughout the weekends of October.

Mulch Giveaway Details:

Locations:

• Armidale Waste Management Facility
• Guyra Community Recycling Centre

Dates:

• • October 4–5, 11–12,18–19, 25–26
• Weekends only – no weekday access to free mulch
• Limit of one load per customer
• No deliveries available

This initiative is part of Council’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and community support. Residents are encouraged to bring their own trailers or utes and collect mulch for use in their gardens and landscaping projects. Please note that weekday visitors will be required to pay standard mulch fees.

Mulch helps retain soil moisture, reducing the need for watering by up to 60%, while also suppressing weeds and improving soil health.

The Armidale Waste Management Facility (AWMF) is now participating in a state-wide embedded battery recycling trial, offering residents a safe and convenient way to dispose of battery-powered household items.

Through its Community Recycling Centre (CRC), AWMF is now accepting a wide range of products that contain embedded batteries, including:

• Bluetooth speakers and headphones
• Electric toothbrushes
• E-scooters, e-bikes, and hoverboards
• Flashing toys and light-up wands
• Personal care devices (e.g. shavers)
• Power packs and portable chargers
• Remote-controlled and ride-on toys
• Cordless and robotic vacuum cleaners
• Vapes
• Wearable tech like smartwatches and medical aids

This initiative is part of a broader trial led by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), with 34 CRCs across the state now participating.

Armidale Regional Council is proud to support this important step toward safer, more sustainable waste management.

The embedded battery recycling trial at AWMF has officially began on 1 September 2025 and is scheduled to run for 12 months,

Learn more: https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/Your-environment/Recycling-and-reuse/household-recycling-overview/embedded-batteries