Dubbo 2040: Less waste in landfill, hydrogen-powered trucks to make city greener

From garbage trucks powered with hydrogen, to more efficient use of recycled water, Dubbo in 2040 will be a much greener place.

Put simply, Dubbo Regional Council's economic development and visitor services team leader Tim Nichols said the city in 2040 was "much more environmentally friendly", with a higher focus on renewable energy and "much more efficient waste management".

The council is already aiming to be net zero by 2050, and new legislation is coming in to reduce the amount of waste going into landfill. But Dubbo 16 years from now could also be a city with a more diverse workforce with new businesses embracing the circular economy.

One of the biggest changes in environmental sustainability will be in the way in which we dispose of rubbish.

The Australian government's goal is for 80 per cent landfill diversion by 2030.

The council is already looking at ways of diverting landfill. Polystyrene and textile recycling has been introduced at the Whylandra Waste and Recycling Centre.

Jamie Lobb, the council's manager of resource recovery and efficiency, said concrete that came into the facility was also recycled as much as possible for internal haul roads.

But while more work needs to be done to ensure households are better utilising the three bin system - Mr Lobb said a recent bin audit found 40 per cent of rubbish going in the red, general waste bin should be in the organics bin - it's industry waste that will be a big focus.

Mr Lobb said households contributed about 20 to 30 per cent of waste that goes to landfill in the Dubbo local government area, but 70 per cent came from the construction world.

In the 2021/22 financial year, there were more than 55,000 tonnes of waste - the equivalent to 13,750 elephants - sent to the Dubbo and Wellington waste facilities.

Of that, about 15,000 tonnes was household waste, and 40,000 came from the commercial and construction industries.

To meet the 80 per cent reduction target, the waste would need to be cut by 44,000 tonnes.

The council is already looking at commercial cardboard recycling. But by 2040 it will need to be expanded into other areas.

"If we want to recycle more commercial [waste] where we actually get the funds to do that is by upping landfill costs. If we up landfill costs, it can actually cover the cost of recycling for large scales. So we're trying to plan that fine balance," Mr Lobb said.

"We don't want to make exuberant landfill costs because then more than likely we're gonna find some illegal landfill starting to pop up around town which then cost council money to go clean and pick it up.

"We need to find that good balance of if you want to landfill your product, great, you're gonna pay for it, but that'll cover the cost of the people that want to put the energy towards actually diverting that material away."

To reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, Dubbo will need to embrace a circular economy.

The circular economy involves recycling, remanufacturing and re-using products after they've served their initial purpose.

Mr Nichols said the new methods of managing waste would create exciting opportunities for the economy.

"What excites me is that we actually have a whole new part of the economy that can be activated from the materials we're currently putting into landfill. It's a massive opportunity," he said.

"There'll be lots of jobs in that area and there'll be lots of economic growth in that area."

It's also benefits the environment by reducing pollution and landfill.

"We've got examples where people are looking at recycling things such as solar panels. We know we've got a massive rooftop solar uptake in our region and we know they are coming to the end of life in the next five to 10 years," Mr Nichols said.

He said the council was already looking at ways to attract organisations that could create value and resources from that waste.

"The community has to be open to doing things differently," Mr Nichols said.

"The days of where we could buy it, use it and bury it are over. We need to be thinking about how we become a sustainable society, but an economically growing society."

As part of the city embracing a circular economy, Mr Lobb said there would be an expansion of industry in Dubbo.

"I think a big one for Dubbo in 2040 is that we might not just be agriculture anymore," he said.

He expects new industries to form to cater for the circular economy such as wind blade recycling or concrete masonry production.

"There'll be more opportunities and less waste," he said.

Diverting waste from landfill is also important for the council's net zero goals.

Net zero means the council will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible.

And council's biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions is rubbish. Waste going to the Dubbo and Wellington tips accounts for 62 per cent of the organisation's carbon footprint.

The council also has plans for a zero emissions fleet.

Organisational sustainability coordinator Catriona Jennings said there were already six electric vehicles in the council's fleet. The council also has an electric lawn mower.

But overall there are 171 light vehicles and 72 heavy vehicles in the council fleet.

Ms Jennings said the light vehicles would be transitioned first, followed by the heavy vehicles as the cost comparison with a traditionally-powered vehicle became more favourable.

Ms Jennings said by 2040, the council would be leading by example.

She expects to see most of the council's light fleet electric and trials of heavy vehicles in the electric or hydrogen space.

The city's streetlights will also be energy-efficient LEDs and car parks would be powered by solar.

One of the council's objectives for 2040 is recognising and planning for the impacts of climate change.

As part of that, the city's water supply will need to be better utilised.

"With the climate changes we're seeing we need to be more effective and more efficient with our water," Mr Nichols said.

He said the council was already looking at how recycled water - which includes sewage, stormwater and greywater - could be put back into the "climate and economy in a really efficient and safe way".

The council's water goals include ensuring the supply is provided efficiently and sustainably to the community, and reducing stormwater discharge into the Macquarie River.