I am writing this submission for the waste management committee as the chairperson for recycling for the Leeuwin Lions Club of Augusta, West Australia.

The Lions Club recycle paper, cardboard, glass, plastic bottles and skin wrap. We recycle over 1000 tons per year.

The processing of this material is all done by voluntary labour.

If we didn’t have voluntary labour this could not be done as we only get paid $60.00 per ton and it costs $32.00 per ton to have it carted to Perth. I think somebody, either the State or Commonwealth Government should be subsiding the cartage to Perth. The people in Perth get the same money but have no cartage to pay.

If clubs like ours didn’t recycle it would go into landfill. I know for a fact that there are two companies in Bunbury who collect recycling from Augusta – Margaret River area then cart it to Bunbury where it goes into landfill as they cant afford the labour to process it.

The State and Commonwealth Government want us to aim for 80% less landfill but by what we get paid for recycling I can’t see it happening.

Yours sincerely

Norman L. Parke