MORE than 55,000 households will receive a new green lid bin for garden organics in coming weeks.

The new bin collections will start in July with the green lid bin for garden organics items such as grass clippings, leaves, twigs and small branches – to be alongside existing red (general waste) and yellow (recycling) lid bins.

More than 32,000 households already have green lid bins through council’s opt-in garden organics service, with the rollout of bins to remaining households to start from June 2.

Over 12,000 residents used the council’s On Demand Large Item Kerbside Collection program in its first year and recycled nearly 1,000 tonnes of material, including whitegoods and green waste.

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the introduction of the garden organics bins would help Ipswich to meet waste reduction targets set by the State Government and those outlined in the City of Ipswich Resource Recovery Strategy 2021-2031.

“The Government’s waste recycling and reduction targets required Ipswich to decrease overall waste generation by 10 percent by 2025, divert waste from landfill by 55 percent and increase recycling by 50 percent,” Cr Harding said.

“Ipswich’s municipal solid waste recycling rate is currently at 27 per cent, significantly below the 50 percent target.”

The cost of the three-bin service would be included in the overall waste utility charge and would be reflected on the July-September rates notice.

The State Government provided the council with $5.9 million towards the garden organics bin rollout.