Rodney Stevens

An educational workshop on plastic waste will be conducted by Clarence Valley Council to celebrate National Science Week in August focused on turning plastic waste into a valued commodity.

Councillor Karen Toms put forward the motion which was seconded by Cr Allison Whaites at the June 27 Clarence Valley Council meeting that council:

1. Conduct an educational workshop on plastic waste as an event to celebrate National Science Week 2023 and engage Louise Hardman Founder of Plastic Collective and inventor of mobile recycling stations to facilitate the workshop on plastics demonstrating how it is possible to turn plastic waste in remote communities into a valued commodity.
2. Liaise with facilitator, Louise Hardman on a date for the workshop during Science Week if possible or in the month of August 2023 if not.
3. Register this workshop as an event to celebrate National Science 2023.
4. Hold the workshop in council’s Environmental Learning Facility (ELF) at Grafton Regional Landfill at 704 Armidale Rd, South Grafton.
5. invite council’s Climate Change Committee and interested community members.
6. manage participants to the free community workshop through a booking management system.

Cr Karen Toms said she recently met the founder of Plastic Collective, Louise Hardman, in the community who is working with Pacific nations and Australian rangers to educate them on turning plastic waste into a useable commodity.

“She is trying to tell the world that plastic is not just rubbish…to see it as a resource it then becomes valuable and doesn’t end up in landfill,” she said.

Ms Hardman is a leading plastic educator, zoologist, science teacher, and long-time conservationist who regularly speaks at international conferences and events about the need to address the global plastic waste epidemic.

Cr Toms said the workshop would be held at council’s Environmental Learning Facility ELF at the Grafton landfill on Armidale Road and facilitated by Ms Hardman.

Cr Whaites said she was looking forward to attending the workshop if it took place.

After posting photos of the Environmental Learning Facility on social media following a council tour, Cr Whaites said the community were engaged and interested to learn more about the facilities.

“I’d like to encourage schools, families and the whole community to attend,” she said.

Before the motion was put to councillors, Cr Peter Johnstone suggested the ELF might not be big enough as he anticipated a lot of interest in the workshop.

Cr Johnstone’s suggestion was noted then councillors voted unanimously to support the motion.