Mt Buller & Mt Stirling Resort Management is committed to the safe & optimal treatment of waste, and the preservation and sustainability of our alpine environment.
Waste Management in our resorts
Similar to municipal shires, the Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resorts generate considerable volumes of waste. Waste disposal in public areas (e.g. car parks, village square) is managed by Alpine Resorts Victoria – Mt Buller Mt Stirling Alpine Resorts (ARV), and elsewhere by an ARV appointed contractor via a co-mingled system. The volume of waste generation fluctuates depending on visitation, which is linked to seasonal variations in snowfall.
Waste management at Mt Buller and Mt Stirling is complicated by many additional factors. These include that:
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ARV DOES NOT operate a landfill facility, so all waste must be transported off the mountain to a suitable landfill (other than organics material processed onsite);
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Snow, ice and low temperatures for several months of the year make waste operations difficult;
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Most of the waste and litter is generated by visitors to the mountain, rather than from local residents – making education and communication more challenging;
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Waste generation is seasonal, with winter generation far greater than that generated in summer.
ARV is a leader in alpine waste management in Victoria. Innovative programs are in place for the collection and re-use of recyclable and organic materials. All programs are implemented in accordance with Victorian State Government policies and with support obtained via grant funding opportunities.
Recycling is changing for the better at Mt Buller, Mt Stirling and beyond
Mt Buller and Mt Stirling’s recycling service changes over the coming years are part of a statewide plan to divert 80% of waste from landfill by 2030.
Sustainability Victoria’s latest ‘Small Acts, Big Impact’ campaign, delivered on behalf of the Victorian Government, is showcasing what your recycling gets turned into when correctly sorted. With new recycling services being rolled out over the coming years and a large investment to support facilities, Victoria’s waste and recycling system is improving to enable recovery of more recyclable materials.
At Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resorts, this involves the introduction of glass recycling services including separate glass bags, increased provision of food organics bins, and refurbished waste huts for a start.
Residents, staff, and visitors can rest assured that all recyclable material that is bagged correctly (i.e recyclable, glass or organics) in the resorts will be diverted from landfill. The key is to make sure items are separated into the correct bags, so the resort waste contractors can identify the materials accordingly.
Victoria has more than 300 resource recovery centres and transfer stations, which help sort materials and recycle them into new items ranging from glass jars to roads. The Victoria State Government is investing almost $100 million into new or improved recycling infrastructure to ensure that more resources can be recycled locally than ever before.
Resort data shows that 45% of mixed recycling collected from apartments and lodges is made up of glass bottles and jars. Did you know that glass can be recycled an infinite number of times? When correctly sorted, your used glass bottles and jars can be recycled again and again, creating an endless sustainable loop of glass products.
Food organics have been collected within the Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resorts since 2010, as part of the Living Bin program. It’s now time to make sure recycling organics is common-place and part of every residence, lodge, apartment and hospitality outlet.
Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resorts are grateful for Sustainability Victoria grant funding to support the delivery of education programs during the rollout of new recycling services.
Find out more at Small acts, big impact | Sustainability Victoria or contact Alpine Resorts Victoria – Mt Buller Mt Stirling Alpine Resorts at info.mtbuller@alpineresorts.vic.gov.au
General Waste, Organics & Recycling
Overview of resort waste and recycling system.
All glass, recycling and organic (for 20L bins or 7L kitchen caddies) waste bags are available for free from ARV at Alpine Central, or from the waste contractor directly on 0427 411 418. Bags must be tied and placed in one of the 30 waste huts located around the village.
General waste should be collected and tied in black garbage bags, and placed appropriately in one of the village waste huts.
'Living Bin' Organics Management
Alpine Resorts Victoria - Mt Buller Mt Stirling Alpine Resorts has facilitated the award-winning Living Bin organics management system since 2010. The food waste recycling system was originally launched as part of the Victorian Government's ‘Towards Zero Waste' strategy, and is now standard waste management practice within the resorts. The system encourages the separation of organic waste, (fruit, vegetables and meat), to be collected and recycled into compost.
The introduction of an in-vessel onsite composting unit helps close the loop for organic waste management at Mt Buller, enabling food waste to be processed at the on-mountain waste management centre and reused as compost throughout the resort. Since its inception, an average of 38 tonne of food waste per annum is diverted from landfill. Save our snow, participate in the Living Bin Program.
20L green bins and bags, and 7L kitchen caddies and bags are available for free from Alpine Central. For more information on how your lodge or venue can implement the Living Bin, please contact the Environmental Services team on 03 5777 6077 or info.mtbuller@alpineresorts.vic.gov.au
Hard Waste Disposal
Across Victoria, the management of waste has changed significantly. Hard waste must be sorted very carefully so that maximum recovery of materials is achieved. It is now not permissible or feasible for our waste contractors to collect skips of mixed hard waste (either placed in the village, or at the Boggy Corner Waste Transfer Station).
Despite landfill fees increasing significantly there has been no increase in the cost of overall waste disposal to stakeholders for many years, for the disposal of municipal waste to landfill and comingled recyclables to reprocessors.
Please DO NOT put any hard waste items in village waste huts or on the kerbside. This is considered illegal dumping and heavy penalties apply. It is very costly for resort staff and waste contractors to continually collect, manage and dispose of these unwanted items left in waste huts and around the village. You are responsible for your own hard waste and you must take items to an appropriate disposal facility (see below).
ARV currently facilitates a Hard Waste event pre and post winter season. This is an opportunity for Mt Buller properties and businesses to dispose of select hard waste items at the Boggy Corner Waste Transfer Station on a designated weekend. Non-recyclable hard waste, processed timber, white goods, mattresses, soft furnishings, and e-waste can be accepted for a nominal fee. Chemicals, paint, hazardous waste (e.g asbestos), and construction/demolition waste cannot be accepted. The date of the Hard Waste event and a list of disposal fees is determined and notified ahead of each event.
NOTE: Clean, sorted and recyclable timber and steel can only be taken to the Boggy Corner Waste Transfer Station by prior appointment. Contact the Waste Contractor on 0427 411 418 well in advance to arrange access.
Mansfield Resource Recovery Centre (Transfer Station)
163 Monkey Gully Road
Mansfield VIC 3723
Click here for opening hours and fees
If you have any questions or require further information about hard waste services within the Resorts, please feel free to contact ARV Environmental Services staff on 03 5777 6077 or email info.mtbuller@alpineresorts.vic.gov.au.
e-waste
As of 1st July 2019 e-waste is no longer accepted in any bin or landfill sites across Victoria. Instead, it must be taken to dedicated drop-off points where it will be collected for resource recovery.
