Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils (REROC) was announced as the winner in the Circular Economy Category of the 2025 Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards at a gala function in Parkes on Saturday evening 11 October.

CEO of REROC Mrs Megan Mulrooney said that the award was for REROC's project, Circular Organics in the Eastern Riverina and was accepted on the gala night by REROC's Circular Economy Project Officer Peter Dale.

"This is great recognition for REROC's project and continuing commitment to waste minimisation and circular economy outcomes as promoted through REROC's Waste Forum that has been active for over 25 years" Megan said.

The project is funded under the EPA Bin Trim program and is an initiative of the NSW Environment Protection Authority under the NSW Government's Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy and is funded from the waste levy.

Mrs Mulrooney said that the project commenced in January 2024 and the award was based on successful project delivery and outcomes in 4 Local Government areas being Lockhart, Junee, Coolamon and Gundagai.

The project seeks to encourage businesses that generate an organic (food) waste stream to divert any deposits from red lid general waste bins to green lid FOGO bins at source.

The deposit of organic waste into green waste deposits at councils' processing locations contributes greatly to a better compost result which can then be used on councils' public grounds including parks and gardens, sporting fields, cemeteries and more thus creating a circular outcome.