An underground pipe network is set to revolutionise Sydney’s garbage collection and reduce the amount of waste buried in landfill.
As part of City of Sydney’s new draft Waste Strategy, garbage will be sorted by a computer automated system and transported via vacuumed tube routes to a central collection point.
City of Sydney unanimously agreed to exhibit the draft strategy in last week’s Council meeting.
“While they look just like a typical apartment building garbage chute, the big difference is the chutes are vacuum sealed and instead of emptying into open bins in the basement, the rubbish is sucked down to a central collection point, where it can be collected.
“To become more sustainable, we simply must look at new ways of dealing with waste,” said the Ms Moore.
“One critical way is to move away from the traditional method of dumping waste in landfill.”
According to recent reports conducted by the City of Sydney, landfills in the Sydney region will be filled by 2019. From between 2010 and 2011 the city generated an estimated 308,000 tonnes of waste.
“We all need to explore every avenue to reduce waste and promote a more sustainable culture,” said Ms Moore.
While this is a bold step into the future for Sydney, the vacuumed tube system originated in Sweden in 1960s and is now used in over 30 countries worldwide.
Greens councillor Irene Doutney said the aim of the waste strategy is to cut down on hands on garbage collection and sorting.
Initial plans will only include new building developments as the system will need to undergo tests.
“It is really exciting, yet we won’t see the whole city suddenly change overnight. As we learn, eventually [the vacuumed system] could also be in the streets,” Cr Doutney said.
This would mean a move away from traditional garbage truck collections in the inner city, as the rubbish is collected automatically from buildings and transported along the vacuum tube routes.
“This won’t happen overnight, so there won’t be any immediate impact on the garbos,” Cr Doutney.
City of Sydney contracted garbage collectors, United Resource Management would not comment on the matter.
By Kristie Beattie
