Welcome to the Town of Bassendean

Modern Cloth Nappy & Sanitary Products Rebate

Millions of disposable nappies end up in landfill in Australia each day, it takes about 1 cup of crude oil to make each of those disposable nappies and it takes at least 150 years for a disposable nappy to break down in landfill.

Although cloth nappies also have an impact on the environment (through use of water, energy and detergent) they do not require the use of finite resources such as the chemicals and oil needed to produce a disposable nappy.

The Town is providing the opportunity for residents to receive a rebate on the purchase of Modern Cloth Nappies or reusable sanitary products.

What you can claim

How to apply

To register your interest for the rebate please complete the application form below and send together with your proof of address and purchase receipts to wasteservices@bassendean.wa.gov.au or call (08) 9377 8095.

ToB Application Form - Rebate - MCN - Sanitary

The Town strongly encourages participants to attend a workshop as we want to make sure you have the best opportunity for success in using your new nappies. Please visit the below page to find your nearest workshop.

Nearby Modern Cloth Nappy Workshops | Eventbrite

Terms & Conditions

To be eligible for this rebate you must:

• Be a Town of Bassendean Resident at the time of purchase and application submission
• Provide a receipt or screencapture of the purchase which shows the date of purchase, the details and cost of the items purchased and your full name
• Purchase one of the following products
  • Reusable Cloth Nappy
  • Reusable Sanitary Product
• Have not previously successfully applied for the MCN/Sanitary Rebate
• Only purchases made in the previous 12 months are eligible
• Only one Rebate per household is permitted
• The Rebate is available each financial year until the budget allocation is expended
• Applicants will receive a rebate on their purchase up to the value of $100 for Modern cloth Nappies and $50 for sanitary products. This rebate will be transferred electronically into the nominated bank account.

Helpful Resources

Australian Nappy Association

Clean Cloth Nappies

Guide to Purchasing Modern Cloth Nappies

Comparing Different Period Underwear

Compost, Worm Farm & Bokashi Subsidy

The Town provides a subsidy to its residents to encourage home composting and the improvement of local soils. The following systems can be purchased through the Town at 40% of their retail value by contacting Environment House.

To purchase one of the above systems with the subsidy please call Environment House on (08) 9271 4488

In order to be eligible for the subsidy you must be a Town of Bassendean resident. A limit of one system per household applies.

Helpful Resources

Bokashi composting

Composting

Worm farming

Free workshops

Please see the Town's What's on page for the most up to date information about upcoming workshops.  You can also visit the Town's Eventbrite page and follow it for notifications about upcoming environment and sustainability events.

Events Calendar » Town of Bassendean

Town of Bassendean Events | Eventbrite

For further information about any upcoming environmental sustainability workshops please email wasteservices@bassendean.wa.gov.au

Switch Your Thinking (SYT)

SYT is a Local Government initiative that aims to support the community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to global efforts to secure a safe climate. As a SYT member council, residents of the Town can access a number of benefits including free workshops and the Rewards for Residents program.

You can visit the SYT website for more information here:

https://www.switchyourthinking.com/

Rewards for Residents

Rewards for Residents supports you to make your home more sustainable. Switch Your Thinking offers member council residents discounts on products that will help you to cut waste and reduce energy and water use such as solar panels and batteries, rainwater tanks, insulation paint, compost bins, worm farms, e-bike accessories and soil amendments.

All you have to do is check the available products on the website below, call the relevant business and mention Switch Your Thinking to claim the discount.

Rewards for Residents | Switch Your Thinking

Energy Smart SMS

Switch Your Thinking delivers a monthly SMS tip providing simple ways residents can reduce their use of electricity. Registration for the tips is free and simple and participants can opt out at any time. Results from the innovative Switched on Homes trial revealed energy efficiency tips received by SMS can help residents reduce their electricity use by 6 percent. 

Energy Efficiency SMS | Switch Your Thinking

Containers for Change

Every year in WA we use 1.3 billion drink containers. Help WA recycle more and start cashing in your containers for a 10 cent refund. This is a great way to teach kids about the value of recycling, use the cash as pocket money or donate to a local charity. Eligible containers can be cashed in at a local Containers for Change refund point, see the link below to find your nearest location.

Nearest Containers for Change Locations

Container Cradles and Baskets

In September 2022 a number of public bins were installed with Containers for Change Cradles and Baskets that allow passerbys to either leave or pick up refundable drink containers that would otherwise go in the bin.

Environment House

Located next to Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary, Environment House is an important community led initiative, Shop Front and Environmental Education Centre.

Visit their website or shop to learn about how to transform your garden into a wildlife sanctuary or browse their many earth friendly products, from keep cups and reusable grocery bags to eco friendly home and personal care.

https://www.envirohouse.org.au/

Earth Carers

Delivered by the EMRC, the Earth Carers course teaches participants practical ways of reducing waste at home and in the community. Learn about the nitty gritty of your waste, where it goes and how to reduce your planet footprint. The course is free for Town of Bassendean residents to attend.

To register your interest, visit the website below:

Earth Carers » Perth's Eastern Region (emrcsustainability.com.au)

Repair Café Bassendean

Since its beginnings in 2018, Repair Café Bassendean has successfully repaired over 1000 items with 83% of items received being successfully repaired. Visitors will find tools and materials to help make any repairs they need, on clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, toys, and much more. Give your items a second life and visit the skilled and friendly members of the Repair Café Bassendean.

https://repaircafebassendean.org.au/

Waterwise offers

The Water Corporation provides services and rebates for Customers in the Perth metro area to encourage the adoption of waterwise gardens.

Visit their website for more information:

Water Saving Offers – Water Corporation of WA

Sustainable Transport

The Town of Bassendean aims to connect the Town through a safe and inviting walking and cycling network and enhance the liveability of local neighbourhoods.

Whitfields Safe Active Street

Whitfield Street in Bassendean recently became a Safe Active Street, safely linking people along a 2.3 km stretch from Guildford Road to Sandy Beach and promoting a new shared street space. The introduction of a 30km/hr speed limit provides walkers, riders and drivers a safer, quieter space to move, encouraging people to jump on their bikes and or walk to local sites. 

Safe Active Streets Program (transport.wa.gov.au)

Your Move

Your Move is a free program run by the Department of Transport that supports individuals, schools and workplaces to start swapping a few car trips each week for walking, riding a bike or catching public transport.

Find out what's on in your local area and discover what other people are doing to get more active as part of their daily routine. Visit Your Move to get moving!

Map Your Move - Bassendean Area Map

https://www.yourmove.org.au/

Going single-use plastic free

The Town of Bassendean has introduced a policy prohibiting the use, sale and distribution of single use plastics and balloons from:

• All operations conducted by the Town.
• Traders (excluding alfresco dining) operating with a permit issued by the Town.
• Public functions and/or events held in thoroughfares, public places and on local government property where approval is required from the Town.

The ban does not apply to:

• Events that do not require approval from the Town.
• Traders and businesses that do not require a permit from the Town under the Local Law.
• Activities operating under a lease agreement from the Town entered into prior to this Policy being made.

Why is this important?

Plastic polymers do not biodegrade, but rather break down into smaller and smaller pieces that cannot be seen by the unaided eye. Micro-plastics build up in the environment and accumulate in the food chain.

In many marine environments plastic is now more common than food, with many wildlife filling their stomachs with plastic and starving to death.

Eliminating the use of unnecessary plastic is everyone’s responsibility.

What can be used instead of plastic?

Where can I find out more?

If you are a café that would ordinarily accept reusable coffee cups and you would like to continue accepting them, please see the Boomerang Alliance A cafe owner's guide to using reusable foodware during Covid-19.

Contact the Town's Recycling & Waste Services Team on 9377 8095 or view the policy and guidance document below:

Council Policy 2.15 Single Use Plastics & Balloons

Guide for Eliminating Single Use Plastics

Helping you transition

Through its partnership with the EMRC, the Town can provide residents free loan of a party box which includes 48 sets of kids plates, cups, cutlery and napkins. A 15L cooler drink mug, cake slicer, serving platters, 2x 4.5m cloth bunting and a ‘Happy Birthday’ ground spike also included.

To hire, contact EMRC Waste Education on (08) 9424 2271 or WasteEducation@emrc.org.au. Loan boxes can be collected from the EMRC.

Plastic Free July

The Town encourages residents to participate in Plastic Free July each year to eliminate single use plastic. You can start small by eliminating your 3 most frequently used items such as, coffee cups, water bottles, cutlery, straws or plastic packaging.

Visit the Plastic Free Foundation for more information and how to participate.

WA Plan for Plastics

The WA State Government has released Western Australia’s Plan for Plastics. Single-use plastic or disposable items will be banned in a phased approach, with the following items being banned by the end of 2021:

• plates
• bowls and lids
• cutlery
• stirrers
• straws
• cups and lids
• thick plastic bags
• polystyrene takeaway food containers; and
• helium balloon releases

Medium-term bans to be introduced by the end of 2022 include the following plastic items:

• barrier/produce bags
• microbeads
• polystyrene packaging
• polystyrene cups
• coffee cups and lids
• cotton buds with plastic shafts 
• oxo-degradable plastics (plastics designed to break up more rapidly into fragments under certain conditions).

For more detailed information or to read the WA Plan for Plastics visit the website.

Plants to Residents Program

The Town of Bassendean runs an annual Plants to Residents program, where residents can purchase up to 20 native, water wise plants at a subsidised rate of $1 each through EnviroHouse. 

Key dates:

• Launch Event, April 29th - A selection of early release plants and Plant Vouchers available at the Bassendean Markets
• Ticket Sales, May 2nd - Plant Vouchers go on sale online, in person or over the phone through Enviro House (details below)
• Plant Collection, May 27th & 28th - Pre booked plant collection from the Town Depot, 69 Scaddan St
• Excess Plant Sale, May 28th PM -  Excess and unclaimed plants will be available following the main collection event.

Remember to bring your proof of residence when collecting plants. Please note that this will be the only weekend for plant collection, any plants not collected on the day will be forfeited.  

Enviro House Contact Details

website: www.envirohouse.org.au

address: 125 King Williams Street, Bayswater

phone: (08) 9271 4488

Opening hours:

Tuesday to Friday: 9am to 1pm

Saturday: 10am to 4pm

Closed on Sundays, Mondays and Public Holidays

This initiative is proudly co-funded by Water Corporation’s Waterwise Greening Scheme and forms part of our ambition for Town of Bassendean to be a leading waterwise city.

Verge Rebate Program

The Town runs an annual verge rebate program, assisting residents in transforming their verges from grass or hardstand to waterwise gardens. Applications for the 2023 are now open and can be made through this link. 

Conditions for application are as follows:

• The verge makeover must comply with the Town’s Verge Treatment Policy and Verge Treatment Guidelines Verges » Town of Bassendean
• The applicant must be a Town of Bassendean property owner or strata company. Currently no applications will be accepted from tenants.
• The verge area to be transformed must be over 20m2
• Corner blocks may apply, the area to be transformed on at least one of the verges must be over 20m2
• Battle-axe developments and strata complex/ grouped dwellings where the verge is shared can apply for the rebate but must have written support from the other property owners sharing the verge, stating that they support the verge transformation. This letter of support must come from the property owners or strata company.
• The current verge must not be an existing native/waterwise garden.
• Successful applicants must remove grass or hard surfaces prior to planting, complete all works and submitted the rebate information before 1 September 2023. NOTE: Any applicants accepted into the program who do not complete the transformation by 1 September 2023 will not be able to participate in the program again for the following two years.
• Successful applicants must include 5-10cm of coarse mulch (woodchip or tree prunings) and waterwise plants (local native plants preferred). The Water Corporation's Waterwise Plant Directory (Waterwise Plants Perth & WA | Water Saving & Drought Tolerant Plants (watercorporation.com.au)) and the Town’s Verge Treatments Guidelines (Verges » Town of Bassendean) provide information on some suitable plants.
• The rebate can be applied to the hire of contract services and purchase of materials for the verge transformation (e.g. plants, mulch, fertiliser). The rebate cannot be applied to the purchase of equipment (e.g. shovels) used to undertake the transformation.
• The number of rebates is limited, residents will be notified via email if their application is successful, and the steps required to complete the rebate process.

This initiative is proudly co-funded by Water Corporation’s Waterwise Greening Scheme and forms part of our ambition for Town of Bassendean to be a leading waterwise city