At the event, the City’s aim was to implement engaging tactics to educate the public on waste and minimise the amount of waste taken to landfill.

The team utilised educational bin covers in major Skyworks hubs to help event attendees think about their waste.

The City’s friendly bin station volunteers and Eco Fairies roamed the hubs making sure people were aware of which bins to place their waste in, while the City’s small rubbish trucks made an appearance on Langley Park to the delight of children big and small.

Representatives from Containers for Change and Mindarie Regional Council volunteers also encouraged Skyworks patrons to cash in their drink containers for 10 cents each where a total of 2030 eligible drink containers were returned.

Food organics waste was recovered from general waste and turned into compost via Neerabup Resource Recovery Facility’s waste treatment plant.

“In this increasingly sustainable society, it is very important City of Perth residents, businesses, visitors and event attendees dispose of their waste correctly to ensure the City reaches its target of 65 per cent diversion from landfill,” Chair Commissioner Hammond said.

“In the past five years, the Waste and Cleansing team have completely turned the general waste percentage on its head for the biggest Australia Day event in the country. This year, it was noticeable how clean the Skyworks event sites were from previous years.

“There appeared to be no waste in the river at all and this was largely due to the City of Perth’s educational bin covers and the waste conscious efforts of patrons and vendors.”

The 2020 Skyworks food vendors supported the City’s sustainability initiatives by minimising single-use plastic packaging and using compostable packaging such as palm leaf and sugarcane plates. 

In addition, water tanks were placed around Langley Park, Kings Park, Sir James Mitchell Park and the Supreme Court Gardens to allow attendees to refill their drink bottles at no cost. Families were also encouraged to bring their own picnics from home.

Each year the City finds many quality items left behind after the event including tents and marquees. This year, instead of going to landfill, these items were sent to the Good Samaritans.

Skyworks 2020 Diversion Statistics

Total Skyworks 2019 waste volume = 15T
Total diversion from landfill = 8.85T or 59 per cent

Issued by: Brooke Hunter, Strategic Communications Advisor, 0448 610 834, brooke.hunter@cityofperth.wa.gov.au