City of Ballarat will employ new staff to inspect the contents of residents' recycling bins that are put out on the street as part of the city's transition to eliminate glass from yellow-lidded bins.
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Recruitment agency People @ Work has advertised for six to eight 'Recycling Bin Inspectors' to commence a three month project as soon as possible auditing the contents of residential recycling bins.
City of Ballarat director infrastructure and environment Terry Demeo said the inspectors would be 'education officers on the street' that are helping people to adjust to the 'big recycling change'.
"They will have a look inside the top of the bins that have been put out for collection and will leave a discreet note to say give us a bell if you want any help in relation to what goes in the recycling bin," he said.
"We want to help people to make sure we are minimising the contamination by taking glass out of recycling bins. They will be there to help explain to people what goes in the recycling bin and why."
The job advertisement details the Recycling Bin Inspector positions are for Monday to Friday, 6:30am to 12:30pm for at least three months, possibly more and include four hours of bin inspecting, one hour of letter dropping and one hour of administration.
Mr Demeo said the roles were part of a broader recycling education campaign that includes information in local media, letters to households, fridge magnets and a sticker on every bin detailing the new policy.
"We are asking people to change habits that have been entrenched for 10 years in terms of recycling. We felt it was necessary to have that education and support personnel in place to help people," he said.
Residents must keep glass out of their yellow-lidded bins from September 30, council announced on Thursday. City of Ballarat has signed a 12-month contract with Australian Paper Recovery, which cannot process glass in the recycling they collect.
Residents will be encouraged to take their household glass waste to eight free drop-off zones that will be located around Ballarat, primarily at supermarkets, or put it in their landfill bin as a last resort.
Drop-off sites include the Lucas Shopping Complex, Gillies Street Transfer Station, Big W, the Midvale Shopping Complex in Mount Clear and behind the BP/Newsagency in Buninyong.