Gauge on Climate: Northern Waste Management Group targets building waste in landfill

Building materials formed the largest component of landfill items during a waste audit of North-West landfill sites and City of Launceston Council waste management officer Michael Attard said it was no different here.

"We have been focused recently on FOGO [food and organics garden collection] but building and construction waste is our next big opportunity," he said.

While residents who visit the Launceston Waste Management Centre are encouraged to first visit the recycling floor before entering the landfill site, to allow attendants to relieve them of recyclable material, Mr Attard said more work needed to be done.

"Some construction material can be recycled, things like pavers, pipes and bricks," Mr Attard said.

He said more education and awareness was needed, along with more willingness to visit the recycling floor.

Mr Attard said most people did visit the recycling centre prior to entering the landfill site but not everyone did.

States that have construction and building material diversion practices in place have already seen results.

"Construction material diversion is up 80 per cent in Victoria," Mr Attard said.

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One thing people might not know they can recycle are old paint tins, which are accepted at Launceston.

"Paint tins are stripped of the old paint, which is collected and coloured and resold," Mr Attard said.

The tins themselves are broken down and recycled for scrap metal while the liquid paint can be used as an energy source. Water is also extracted from the acrylic and recycled.

Tins of paint can be handed in to the Launceston Waste Management Centre or there is a collection point at Invermay for the Paintback scheme.