The City of Sydney has released its draft waste reduction and circular materials strategy 2025–2035, setting targets to reduce landfill and position Sydney as a leader in the circular economy.
The strategy outlines initiatives including household food scraps collection by 2030, expanded services for hard-to-recycle items such as soft plastics and textiles, and increased support for businesses transitioning to more sustainable practices.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO said the strategy responds to the urgency of reducing waste. “We are in a crisis where every effort must be stepped up so we can move away from being a wasteful nation to one where all of our materials are in use for as long as possible,” Moore said.
The City of Sydney said it plans to invest in new ideas and expand services to help residents and businesses make better choices. “We need more innovation to tackle this problem which is why we’ll invest in new ideas and systems over the next decade and expand our services and education programs so our communities are better informed,” Moore said.
As part of its approach, the City has already trialled a program using insects to process food scraps, turning waste into protein-rich animal feed and fertiliser. “These food scraps used to rot in landfill, emitting methane. Now, they’re being made into protein-rich animal feed and fertiliser to grow more food,” Moore said.
The City is calling for greater collaboration across government and industry. “Reducing waste must be a priority for all levels of government. We want state and federal governments to invest more in recycling infrastructure and create laws to encourage manufacturers to design goods for a circular world,” Moore said.
The draft strategy sets goals including 90 per cent diversion from landfill of residential waste by 2035, 40 per cent source-separated recycling of household waste, and a 15 per cent reduction in residential waste generation.
According to the City of Sydney, up to 70 per cent of materials currently placed in red lid bins could be recycled through existing or upcoming services. The strategy also proposes 39 new actions and builds on popular services such as Recycle It Saturday.
“Governments can’t do this work alone – everyone has a role in reducing waste. Meeting our ambitious targets will take active participation by residents and businesses, which is why the new strategy emphasises community partnerships,” Moore said.
The City of Sydney said it will continue promoting responsible consumption and waste avoidance through education programs while encouraging residents to contribute their feedback on the plan.
The draft waste reduction and circular materials strategy is now on public exhibition, with details available on Sydney Your Say.
