Circular economy in action at Darebin

a photo of a couple with the green bin

Take a look at some examples of our local circular economy. You might find that you’re already going circular.

Food and green waste recycling

Did you know that food and green waste makes up 43% of our general waste bin? By using the food and green waste bin, we can halve our waste going to landfill, and turn food waste into nutrient-rich compost.

Building sustainability in Darebin

We are integrating circular practices into local infrastructure projects:

  • Road renewals will continue to use recycled asphalt materials.
  • The KP Hardiman Hockey Field upgrade in 2021 used over 236 tonnes of recycled materials.
  • Our kindergarten upgrades prioritise reuse of materials to reduce the need for new materials.

Local community initiatives

Everyone can take part in Darebin’s circular economy by getting involved in community activities such as:

  • Being part of Darebin Hard Rubbish Heroes to rehome and source preloved items, reducing the need for new materials and waste going to landfill
  • Sharing homegrown product and reducing food waste through food swaps organised by Transition Darebin
  • Attending clothes swap organised by various groups throughout the year to keep clothing in circulation
  • Attending or volunteering at regular Repair Cafes organised by Transition Darebin to fix household items and give them another life

Reuse and recycle through DRRC

We accept a range of materials for resell, recycling and safe disposal at the Darebin Resource Recovery Centre – helping keep materials out of landfill.

Borrow instead of buying new

Council services such as Libraries and Toy Library offer borrowing options that helps prevent buying new. You can borrow various items including:

  • books
  • DVDs
  • party kits
  • induction cooktops
  • children’s toys, and
  • home energy efficiency kits.

Reuse over single-use

Council's events are single-use plastic free and we work closely with local businesses to eliminate single‑use plastics wherever possible.

Supporting local circular economy businesses

We provide support and guidance to promote local circular economy and business innovation.

Promoting buying second hand

We promote local op shops in our Darebin Preloved Clothing Trail(PDF, 4MB). 

Have a good circular economy initiative idea for the community? Apply for a Darebin community grant to bring your idea to life.

For more information, visit Darebin grants.  

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