Time not wasted
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Their views are vital to the success of a joint community project between UQ and the Ipswich City Council to find solutions to waste management problems in the area.
Dr Bernard McKenna from the UQ Business School said the community consultation process was a success.
“This is believed to be a world-first study in relation to waste management solutions, which means that Ipswich is leading the world,” Dr McKenna said.
The three-year, three-stage study is worth an estimated $250,000.
The first phase involved the formation of a local citizen jury where members of the public listened to expert opinions on waste management and formed recommendations for improvement.
“A lot of interesting recommendations came out of the jury which negated a lot of popular assumptions,” Dr McKenna said.
“One was support for a third council wheelie bin for households so that organic material can be properly recycled, rather than put in a backyard compost bin likely to attract vermin.”
Phase two of the project will survey about 800 residents to evaluate the recommendations of the citizen jury, while in phase three, another 800 people will do a six-month bin audit.
Dr McKenna said there were two main project objectives, which could be applied to waste management practices around the country.
