Albury City Council’s flagship waste initiative, Ten Years of Three Bins, has been named a finalist in the 2025 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards, in the Partnerships and Collaboration – Under 150k Population category.
This recognition celebrates a decade of innovation and cross-border collaboration in regional waste management. The program was launched in response to a looming capacity crisis at the Albury Waste Management Centre (AWMC), which processes around 200,000 tonnes of waste annually from Albury and surrounding councils.
In 2010, the Halve Waste initiative was introduced as a waste education and awareness campaign with the goal of reducing landfill waste by 50 per cent. At the time, the Albury landfill was projected to reach capacity by 2020 without the implementation of additional recycling programs.
This cross-border collaboration brought together six councils - Albury, Federation, Greater Hume, Wodonga, Indigo and Towong – to work collectively toward long term waste reduction. A key outcome was the introduction of a three-bin kerbside system, including a dedicated Food and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin.
Rolled out in 2015 across the Albury, Wodonga, Indigo and Federation councils, the system was supported by a strong partnership with Cleanaway and Halve Waste’s targeted behaviour change campaign.
“We’re proud to be named a finalist - this recognition is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation and our community’s decade-long commitment,” said Albury Mayor Kevin Mack.
“Together we’ve extended the life of our landfill and diverted over 220,000 tonnes of food and garden waste for composting, benefiting our local parks, gardens and agriculture in the region.
“The three-bin system has transformed regional waste management, and it’s an honour to see that work recognised at a state level. It’s especially rewarding to see how the program has successfully supported more regional councils in adopting the three bin systems with great success.”
Initially servicing 46,000 households, the system now covers 66,000 homes. Its success has led to replication by other councils and recognition as a national best-practice model in waste diversion.
Since implementation, landfill waste at the AWMC has dropped by 54 per cent. Recycling rates have reached 84 per cent - well above the NSW target of 70 per cent - and organics contamination has fallen to just 0.17 per cent.
Financially, the program has saved the community more than $30 million in avoided operational costs by extending the landfill’s lifespan.
Community education has been another pillar of success. Halve Waste continues to deliver school programs, facility tours and face-to-face engagement using community-based social marketing. Initiatives like ReEngage Albury, launched in 2023, have helped reduce contamination and improve recycling rates. The program specifically addressed the needs of diverse community groups, ensuring inclusivity and making recycling more accessible for everyone.
In its first year alone, the three-bin system saw kerbside landfill waste drop by over 43 per cent. Organics diversion has also increased, from 21,000 tonnes in 2010 to 27,000 tonnes annually since the full FOGO rollout in 2015.
Innovation remains a priority. A soft plastics recycling pilot is underway, using existing yellow bin infrastructure to divert even more waste and support a circular economy.
At its core, the program’s success lies in strong partnerships, effective communication and consistent community engagement. Cross-border collaboration, operational expertise from the contractor, and Halve Waste’s education efforts - backed by sustainable funding - have created a thriving system.
Ten years on, AlburyCity’s three-bin initiative offers a compelling model for other councils. With proven environmental, economic and social benefits, it shows what’s possible when local governments unite for sustainability.
Category winners will be announced at the NSW Local Government Excellence Awards Dinner in Pyrmont on Thursday 5 June.
You can learn more about AlburyCity’s Halve Waste initiatives on Council’s website.