New Holland Honeyeater (Nathalie Verellen)
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e-Waste Recycling
(image: Andrzej Kostrzewa)
new soft plastics and e-waste recycling trial
During the trial period, residents can drop off household quantities of soft plastics for recycling for free at Blaxland and Katoomba Resource Recovery and Waste Management Facilities.
Residents can also now drop off all e-waste (anything with a cord) for recycling at the facilities.
Council has teamed up with RecycleSmart who will collect the soft plastics and e-waste items and deliver them to their recycling partners for processing.
These new options will allow residents to divert waste from landfill and help the Blue Mountains transition to a circular economy.
The circular economy reduces waste by sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended and can minimise the amount of waste in landfills.
Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill said: “As part of Council’s goal to transition the Blue Mountains to a circular economy, we have found a solution to assist residents to recycle their soft plastics and e-waste and help divert them from landfill.
“This means residents can confidently recycle soft plastics including bread bags, bubble wrap, cereal box liners, packets from lollies, chocolates and chips, resealable bags, grocery bags and plastic film.
“They can also recycle e-waste including all small appliances, DVD players, smartwatches, electric toothbrushes and more.”
Visit the Council's Waste & Recycling webpage for a list of acceptable soft plastics and e-waste items that can be recycled at its facilities.
Residents Against Western Sydney Airport - latest newsletter
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Western Sydney International has been released.
Once you access the link, you will find a tab to access a digital copy of the EIS, or you can download a copy to your computer. There is also a link to make a submission. Submissions are due by 31 January 2024.
The Society will be making a submission, and we aim to put together some points for those who wish to make their own submission. This will take a little time to organise as the EIS is 4,444 pages.
Go here to find where the remaining Community Information and Feedback Sessions are being held, and where to view a hard copy of the draft EIS.
The preliminary flight paths for Western Sydney International (WSI) Airport were released in June. What does this mean for the wildlife and biodiversity of the Blue Mountains?
a disturbed Tawny Frogmouth (Alan Lymbery)
Considering the elevation of the Blue Mountains (Katoomba is at 1023m/3356feet), the actual heights of the flight paths above the ground are considerably lower than those publicised.
In a bid to minimise flight noise for Mountains' residents, most of the flight paths are over the World Heritage Area - yet there has been little consideration of the impact that this noise pollution will have on wildlife and how this might impact biodiversity too.
Increasing research worldwide into the effects of high levels of human-created noise on wildlife (birds, aquatic and terrestrial species), ecosystems and protected areas reflects a growing concern about the adverse effects it brings. Noise from airports that are close to protected areas, such as national parks, is of considerable concern due to the excessive rise in noise levels, compared to the existing low levels of ambient noise in these areas.
Our review of the literature shows that:
- wildlife and hence the biodiversity of GBMA in the lower Blue Mountains, will be negatively impacted by noise from WSI;
- the GBMA World Heritage listing may be at risk if there's a loss in biodiversity (listing is based on the grounds of Eucalypt Biodiversity);
- visitor enjoyment of this globally significant area will be affected by a diminished sense of wilderness; and
- studies are urgently required to determine baseline ambient noise across GBMA, actual flight noise from aircraft arriving or departing WSI on flights paths over GBMA and the effects of the overflights on wildlife (particularly birds) once the airport opens, to determination of an acceptable level of noise.
In the 2016 Environmental Impact Statement (Vol 2a, Chapter 26) on the WSI, an assessment was made that there would be no impact on the World Heritage Area from the airport or from overflights; it was stated that noise levels less than 65bB(A) will not impact wildlife. This assessment is based on ONE reference included in the EIS relating to noise impacts on raptors near a military base in the USA. Our review of research indicates that this is not the case for all species of wildlife, as some are adversely impacted at much lower noise levels. There is a lack of research on the impact of anthropogenic noise on wildlife in Australia. There has also been little attention paid to the possibility of bird strike.
We do not believe that the impact of noise on both the wildlife and on visitors sense of wilderness, nor any possible ramifications, has been adequately considered in developing the flight paths.
What can you do?
Register for our newsletter and we will keep you up to date with progress.
The December 2023 edition of Hut News is now available for downloading.
Meredith Brownhill mulga planting at Imperial Lake
- Back to The Hut with a World Heritage Theme
- Do You Have a Cat?
- President's Report (Annette Cam)
- Federal funding for the eradication of fire ants
- Warragamba Dam plan officially scrapped
- Uses for existing plastic bags (Elizabeth van Reyswoud)
- Cuckoos of the Blue Mountains (Annette Cam)
- Googling “Galls” (Sue Nicol)
- Grand clifftop walk (Don Morison)
- Net Zero Future Bill (Nathalie Verellen)
- A visit to Muttonbird Island (Alethea Morison)
- Saving Kosci
- The Rare and Mythical Australian Painted Snipe (Chris Whiteman)
- Intergenerational Transformations Series (Don Morison)
- Activism Works: Part 3 (Susanne Rix)
- Blue Mountains stream health (Peter Ardill)
- Landcare Volunteering in Broken Hill (Meredith Brownhill)
- Wild image - Letter O - for colouring
- and much more ...
Blackheath Growers Markets
Cut-leaf Mint-bush (Prostanthera incisa) (Gisela Schumacher)
We will have a good selection of tube stock: Prostanthera (mint bush) for a splash of purple or mauve, Crowea and Bauera pretty in pink, Acacia for a bright gold, and many more.
Visit our Native Plant Nursery webpage for our range of plants.
For enquiries or to place an order - Please contact : Nursery Manager, Paul Irwin: plantnurserybmcs@outlook.com
– the Darug and Gundungurra people –
and pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.