Initiatives

The Adapt NSW website has been produced by the NSW Government to inform and empower communities, businesses, households and government to adapt to climate change. 

The Australian Circular Economy Hub is Australia's go-to resource for circular economy thinking and action, providing the tools and education to help implement circularity. 

The Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) is an evidence-based system for Australia and New Zealand that provides you with easy-to-understand recycling information when you need it most - at the bin. 

The NSW Government is helping ease the cost of living with more than 70 rebates and savings. You can browse NSW Government rebates and savings on the Service NSW website. 

The drumMUSTER program is a wonderful circular economy solution, providing Australian agricultural and veterinary chemical users with a recycling pathway for eligible empty agvet chemical containers!

Singleton Council has been in partnership with Agsafe, facilitating the program at the Waste Management Facility for the past 20 years – to date resulting in a whopping 10,674 containers redirected from landfill and recycled!

 What containers are eligible?

drumMUSTER is specially designed for the disposal of eligible, cleaned agvet chemical containers.

The program facilitates collection of non-returnable metal or plastic containers above one litre/kilogram and up to 205 litre/kilogram in declared content in the packaging of crop production and animal health products used for:

• agricultural and livestock production
• industrial and recreational pest and weed control
• forestry
• household pest control operations
• similar activities conducted by government authorities.

Please visit the drumMUSTER website for further information.

How do I participate?

Proper rinsing and cleaning are the first steps in safely disposing of empty agvet chemical containers.

• Triple rinsing is best practice.
• Clean containers are essential for meeting Occupational Health and Safety standards in the recycling process.
• Any rinsing should be carried out immediately after emptying the chemical container, as residues are a lot harder to remove when dry.
• Under current regulations in most states, containers that haven’t been properly rinsed can be classified as hazardous waste.

Please click here for specific cleaning requirements, noting that drums will be inspected upon presentation and any non-compliant drums will unfortunately not be eligible.

After they are clean, simply load them up and bring them to the Singleton Waste Management Facility for recycling - free of charge.

As a curtesy, if you are planning a deposit of ten (10) or more containers please contact the facility and notify the site supervisor prior to attending on T 02 6578 7329. 

Did you know that simply replacing old lights with new energy efficient lights (LEDs) can reduce your electricity bill by hundreds of dollars a year?

The NSW Government is spending $112.5 million to help households and small businesses become more energy efficient and save money on energy-related expenses.

Energy NSW is a hub for energy-related information from NSW Government departments, making it easier for you to find information and get the help you need. 

What's available? 

Households

• A number of rebates to help reduce your energy bills
• Appliance replacement offer
• Lighting upgrade offer for households
• Help for households facing energy bill stress
• An abundance of information on energy efficiency - from understanding your usage, buying appliances and solar to your energy provider, understanding your bill and consumer rights.  

Businesses

• Discounts and incentives 
• Evaluating your usage
• Assessing the efficiency of your technology and equipment

Discover ways to reduce your energy use that best suits how you work and live by browsing the Energy Saver website. 

Did you know that almost all types of electronic and electrical equipment can be recycled!?

With our technological world ever expanding, it is a timely reminder that e-Waste contains a multitude of valuable materials that do not belong in landfill.

What is e-waste?

e-Waste (electronic waste) is unwanted or broken items with a plug, battery or power cord. 

Examples:

•  Large appliances (fridges, washing machines, microwaves, air conditioner)
•  Small appliance (toasters, coffee machines, watches, hair dryers)
•  IT (computers, printers, televisions/screens, mobile phones, remote controls..)
•  Lighting (spotlights, bulbs, lamps, LEDs)
• Electrical Tools (drills, saws, sewing machines, batteries)
• Leisure equipment (gaming consoles, amplifiers, instruments, radios)
• Medical equipment (automatic dispensers, thermostats, medical devises)

Where can I recycle my e-waste? 

e-Waste bins for small appliances (mobiles, batteries, keyboards, cords, ink cartridges and external hard-drive devices) have been placed at strategic Singleton Council facilities:

• Administration Building
• Waste Management Facility 
• Library
• Visitor Information Centre
• Youth Centre

All other e-Waste items can be taking to Singleton Waste Management Facility and recycled free of charge*! 

* Degassing fees apply for an appliance if a certificate of degassing by a licensed professional is not produced at the time of disposal. Refer to Council's Fees and Charges for further information. It is important to note that it is an offence to unlawfully discharge such gases under the 1989 Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act.

Throughout the year Council runs a number of FREE giveaways: 

• Native Seedlings to encourage native plantings and increase habitat for local fauna. Upon proof of residence, you can receive up to four native tube stock species to take away and plant in your garden. Tenants are required to seek landowner approval prior to attending the event.
• Compost to allow residents the opportunity to see the benefit of and benefit from our Garden Organics (green bin) collection, where the green waste collected here in Singleton is transported to ANL for processing and produces premium quality compost! Take a look at the process in the below videos. 

Keep an eye on Council's Facebook page and the local newspaper for more information regarding giveaway dates. Alternatively, head to the Garden Organics website for further information. 

The Hunter Central Cost (HCC) Eco-system website provides a snapshot of the circular economy participants in our region. 

What is REDcycle? 

RED Group is a Melbourne-based consulting and recycling organisation who has developed and implemented the REDcycle Program; a recovery initiative for post-consumer soft plastic. 

What is soft plastic?

Soft plastic can be classified as the kind of plastic you can scrunch into a ball.

• Household generated soft plastics include plastic bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, chip packets, snack wrappers, cling wrap...
• Business generated soft plastics include product packaging, shrink wrap, pallet wrap, builder’s sheeting...

Basically, if you can scrunch it – you can save it!

What happens to the soft plastic afterwards? 

Soft plastic collected through the REDcycle program is used to create a range of recycled plastic products. 

In fact, did you know that the picket fencing at Howe Park is recycled plastic product? Almost 4000 pickets - equivalent to a whooping 450,000 plastic packages and 55.08 cubic meters of waste diverted from landfill!

For more information about where the recycled plastic goes and what it is used to make, click here

How do I participate?

Participation in the program is super simple: 

1. Separate any soft plastic waste you generate from your general waste
2. Shake free any remaining contaminants (such as chip or bread crumbs) 
3. Dispose of it appropriately at one of the REDcycle collections points

Collection point are strategically situated at:

• Coles Supermarket (located in Gowrie Street Mall)

Ideas for getting organised at home to participate 

• Have a bin or bag dedicated to soft plastic waste located with your kitchen bins.
• Commit to plastic free outings – unwrap your snacks and store in containers or bento lunch boxes and deal with your waste at home where your prepared for source separation
• Make sure everyone in the family gets involved! Educate them about soft plastics and the program, and show them where to put their soft plastics

More than 160million bottles and cans are littered in NSW each year. We need your help - by recycling bottles, cans, and cartons through the Return and Earn program, you'll be helping the environment and also earning along the way. 

Small Acts Big Change is a waste education program aimed at reducing the amount of items that we send to landfill. It is about recovering valuable and finite natural resources that require inputs of water and energy at every stage of a products lifecycle. There are lots of items that we use everyday and then get rid of by throwing them in the garbage. We create so much waste by throwing away old things, as well as throwing away the packaging required for new things.

Visit the website for more information.

Research shows that 87% of event attendees want the event they are attending to be clean and free of litter, and support waste wise practices and want well-organised waste and recycling services. As a result of the great events that happen in NSW every year, thousands of tonnes of waste are generated, often ending up in landfill or as litter polluting our streets and waterways. This waste is a tremendous loss of resources, as at least 60% of the material could be recycled. We can reduce the environmental impact of events by working towards making every event in NSW a Waste Wise Event.

What is a waste wise event?

A Waste Wise Event is designed so that waste is minimised and recycling is maximised. This involves planning and implementing waste avoidance strategies that encourage all attendees (including those providing goods and services) to minimise the use of single-use, non-reusable, non-recyclable catering products and packaging. It also has a bin system that encourages and makes it easy for attendees and stallholders to recycle and dispose of waste materials responsibly.

The ultimate aim is to consider waste management a significant factor of the planning for an event and prioritising waste recovery efforts. 

Why be waste wise?

It is good economic and environmental sense to make all events Waste Wise. A Waste Wise Event benefits councils, event organisers, the public and the environment by reinforcing sustainable behaviour.

How do I host a waste wise event? 

The Waste Wise Event Guide sets out the planning of a Waste Wise Event in three stages: 

1. Before the event
2. During the event
3. After the event

Incorporated in the guide is an easy to use flow chart and all the information you will require to ensure that your next event is Waste Wise success!

NSW EPA also has a treasure trove of signage resources to help you implement your bin systems and maximise waste diversion efforts!

Is Council hosting waste wise events? 

Absolutely! As part of our commitment to sustainable waste management practices, the Waste Wise Event principles are now firmly imbedded in Council's event application process to ensure that external stakeholders are incorporating the practice into their event planning process.

Going the extra mile...  

Although the Waste Wise Event Guide is designed to inform large scale event management, considering and minimising the impact of our events is vitally important - no matter the size.

We encourage you to incorporate Waste Wise Event planning practices for:

• birthday parties 
• BBQ and home gatherings 
• wedding and anniversary celebrations
• annual holiday celebrations (Easter, Christmas, New Years..) 

By considering such things as: 

• How will you encourage resource recovery? 
• How will you sustainably decorate your space? 
• How will you prioritise minimising waste generation?

Council takes its responsibilities to the community and the environment seriously.  Water conservation means looking after our resources and protecting the environment.  Council is committed to working with the Singleton community to preserve valuable water resources, providing a number of resources and actively facilitates water saving initiatives which promote water, sewer and associated efficiencies.

Click here for more information. 

When the cold weather hits, wood heaters are often used to heat our homes. However, if not installed or operated correctly, they can produce excessive smoke which is a major contributor to air pollution.

What is woodsmoke?  

Wood smoke is often seen as a brown atmospheric haze in the atmosphere on still, cool, winter mornings. During winter, wood heaters can produce up to seven times as much particle pollution as cars. Wood smoke contains a number of noxious gases (including carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and a range of organic compounds), some of which are toxic or carcinogenic and fine particles, which may go deep into the lungs.

REDUCE YOUR WOODSMOKE POLLUTION

While many families use a wood heater to stay warm during the winter months, there are a number of simple actions that your family can do to operate your wood heater effectively and reduce wood smoke in the Singleton area. To minimise pollutants the Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA) advise to not dampen down your fire overnight. With the air intake closed, the fire is starved of oxygen and cannot burn properly.

To further reduce your wood smoke pollution:

• Use only small logs of seasoned, untreated wood
• Store wood under cover in a dry, ventilated area
• Use several small logs rather than one large log
• Increase the air supply if you see your chimney smoking
• Maintain a bright flame, never let your heater smoulder
• Never burn rubbish, driftwood, treated or painted wood, which can pollute the air and can be poisonous.
• Check your chimney regularly.

You can find out more about wood smoke at NSW EPA.

What is Your Home?

Your Home is an Australian Government document, which provides potential home builders and renovators with guidance on sustainable home building design and practices. 

Your Home is a free, online resource which contains information on energy-efficient design, materials, and construction methods, as well as supplementary advice regarding heating and cooling strategies, landscaping, window fixtures and solar orientation and design. In addition, it provides example house designs which achieve a sustainable 7-Star home rating, as well as real-world examples of houses built with sustainability in mind. 

Who is this resources for?

This guide is suitable for both new home builders, as well as existing homeowners who are either planning to alter their existing dwelling or extending their current dwelling.

NOTE: For reference to climate zones, Singleton LGA is located within both Zone 5 – Warm Temperate, and Zone 6 – Mild Temperate. Dependent on where you are located within the LGA is the exact climate zone that applies to your build.