Wash Against Waste Trailer assisting with Low Waste Events

It’s time for the Wash Against Waste Trailer to be out and about in our community!

Transition Bridgetown acquired the Wash Against Waste, (WAW) Trailer in October 2022. It is fully equipped with a marquee, folding trestle tables, ceramic coffee mugs, melamine and hard plastic plates and bowls, stainless steel cutlery, urn, wash bowls, trays, tea towels, aprons and signage. In fact, pretty much everything you could possibly need to cater for 150 people or more, at any event that provides food and hot drinks!

The WAW trailer originally came from the Margaret River Regional Environment Centre who received a Keep Australia Beautiful grant in 2016 to have it designed and built. They owned and utilised it over a four year period, deploying it at local markets and events as a driving force for reducing plastic waste as well as working to educate the community and visitors to the area about the damage disposable plastic does to the environment and oceans.

Whilst the Wash Against Waste Movement first came into being as a way to reduce and eliminate single use plastics at events, this has now progressed to reducing all general waste from eco food and drink containers, many of which have a plastic or waxed lining and are not compostable in normal household composting bins. They contaminate our recycling bins due to food remains and grease, hence becoming general waste.

There is a five tub washing system for utilising the items in the WAW trailer. The plates, bowls, mugs are scraped clean into a container for composting, then given a cold rinse to clean off food remnants, followed by a hot soapy wash, then a second rinse and finally a very hot sanitising rinse of 70+ degrees.

The water is rotated so that only the soapy hot wash and sanitising rinse water need to be replaced intermittently. The urn heats the water. A connection to electricity and water source is required.

Transition Bridgetown Inc has the relevant insurances for the Wash Against Waste Trailer to be utilised by community groups in the Bridgetown/Greenbushes shire and neighbouring towns and shires.

In order to cover the annual registration cost of approximately $100, annual insurance premiums of $1200 [includes volunteer insurance] and on-going maintenance, there is a hire charge and bond associated with the use of the WAW trailer.

The agreed contract stipulates that the wash trailer must be picked up and returned by the agreed date unless otherwise arranged. It must be returned in a neat, orderly condition. A refundable bond of $50 for a community event or $100 for a private function is charged. Any breakages or incidents must be reported. A minimum donation of $50 plus per application to hire the wash trailer is required unless otherwise arranged. If volunteers are required to work on the WAW trailer at the event, then a further donation of an agreed amount will be included.

We are delighted to have the support of our Shire President Cr Jenny Mountford, whose comment we quote, “I commend Transition Bridgetown for this wonderful initiative not only for their own use, but now for the broader community. It would be wonderful to see the Wash Trailer used at all of our Bridgetown and Greenbushes events. This would not only help our local environment, but also spread a terrific message to those who visit us.”

Come and check out the Wash against Waste Trailer at the Bridgetown Agricultural Show on Saturday November 23rd. We’ll be on display down on the oval.

If you have an event in mind where you feel that the Wash Trailer could be utilised, please contact us at transitionbridgetown19@gmail.com or connect with us on our Facebook page.