Advertisment

Community & Business

30 December, 2021

Buy back shop gets approval to proceed

A BUY back shop for at the Mareeba transfer station will become a reality after it was approved by council last week.


The buy back shop will be built on the left just past the toll house and will provide an opportunity for all residents and businesses to re-purpose goods they no longer need. 

Council was told that a similar facility had been operating in Cairns for many years and in 2019-20, it had saved approximately 800 tonnes of waste from being sent to landfill, with the current financial year figures heading towards a 1200-tonne diversion. 

The shop will sell items such as building materials, household appliances and cookware, vintage goods, collectables and restoration pieces, clothing and accessories, tools, indoor and outdoor furniture, musical instruments, baby items, art pieces, and bicycles. 

Council will construct a new shed-like structure to accommodate the shop as well as provide parking for 11 vehicles. 

A solid 1.8 metre high colorbond screen fence has already been erected to the west and the south of the buy back shop site to screen the development from the adjoining Mareeba Cemetery. 

Mareeba Mayor Angela Toppin said council’s 10-year Waste Management Strategy was underpinned by a number of key strategic focus areas including waste reduction, the circular economy, littering and illegal dumping and community and regional partnerships. 

The focus on waste reduction meant council wanted to encourage and support the community to reduce waste generation and divert recyclable commodities from landfill. 

“Buy back shops, or dump shops, have proven very popular in other regions and we are confident that this will be very well supported in Mareeba,” Cr Toppin said. 

“This is more than turning trash into treasure. This is stopping the waste flow in its tracks before goods are sent to landfill. The Buy Back Shop model addresses environmental, economic and social considerations.” 

Deputy Mayor Kevin Davies said while he was supportive of the new facility he wanted to be assured that the shop would not turn into a “dump”. 

“I want to make sure that there will be a system in place which will ensure constant turnover of goods,” he said. 

Council plans to call for quotes for the construction of the facility in 2022.

Advertisment

Most Popular

1