Waste Smart Kindy program terms and conditions

Use this page to read the terms and conditions for Brisbane City Council's Waste Smart Kindy program.


1. These terms and conditions set out all of the information you need to know regarding the Waste Smart Kindy Program (Program). By entering the free online professional development course or submitting an application form, you agree that these terms and conditions apply to you.

Free professional development course for educators

2. Brisbane City Council (Council) is offering a free online professional development course to early learning educators and outside school hours care providers that work in the local government area of the City of Brisbane (Educators and Care Providers).

3. The Course provides Educators and Care Providers with knowledge, skills and resources to support sustainable waste practices in day-to-day centre or service operations and covers the following 4 units:

(a) Setting up a Waste Smart Kindy – learn how to manage the waste at your early learning centre or service more sustainably;

(b) Recycling – find out what can be recycled and how to encourage recycling within your early learning centre or service;

(c) Compost and worm farming – learn how to set up and maintain a compost bin or worm farms with practical and easy tips from the experts; and

(d) Munch and crunch – discover how to reduce food waste at your centre,

(the Course).
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4. Educators and Care Providers can complete all of the units in the Course at once, or complete units one at a time.

5. On completion of all units in the Course, early learning educators that work within the local government area of the City of Brisbane will be posted a Waste Smart Kindy toolkit containing the following items:

(a) personalised certificate as evidence of your professional development in waste minimisation;

(b) bin stickers for rubbish, recycling and organics bins to help sort waste;

(c) guide to sorting rubbish poster for use in your centre or service’s kitchen or kindy rooms to help staff and helpers correctly sort different waste items;

(d) pop out Council rubbish truck; and

(e) fact sheets for families of your centre or service including Waste Smart Ideas for Families and Waste Smart Lunches.

(f) digital assets that can be used on social media or e-newsletters to acknowledge completion of the Course (for educators) and award as a Waste Smart Kindy (for early learning centres).

6. Outside school hours care providers are not eligible to receive the Waste Smart Kindy toolkit.

Which Centres can apply to become a Waste Smart Kindy

7. Applications to become a Waste Smart Kindy are open to early learning centres and services:

(a) that care for 0-4 year olds including family day care, for profit and not for profit day care; and

(b) that are located within the local government area of the City of Brisbane,

(EL Centres).

How to apply

8. To apply, the director or manager of the EL Centre must complete the application form on Council’s website (available at https://forms.brisbane.qld.gov.au/waste-smart-kindy-application) and provide evidence that the EL Centre has satisfied the following requirements:

(a) a minimum of 75% of its staff at the EL Centre have completed the Course within the last 3 years;

(b) the EL Centre’s induction process for new staff has been updated to include training regarding waste smart practices;

(c) the EL Centre displayed materials from the Waste Smart Kindy toolkit such as the poster and bin stickers;

(d) the EL Centre has communicated the waste smart message to the wider community (e.g. distribution of fact sheets to families, sharing waste smart activities on social media and newsletters);

(e) the EL Centre has developed and implemented an action plan based on the individual action plans from the Course for waste smart measures at the EL Centre;

(f) the EL Centre has developed and implemented new initiatives to become more waste smart;

(g) the EL Centre has performed waste audits including an initial audit and a follow up audit 3 months later which indicate a reduction in the amount of waste being sent to landfill;

(h) the EL Centre has explored opportunities for recycling and has considered establishing or expanding a recycling collection service e.g. co-mingled recycling bins, green waste bins

(i) the EL Centre has provided examples of how all staff at the EL Centre are active and engaged in reducing the amount of waste being sent to landfill and making other positive changes within the EL Centre. For example:

  • providing newsletters or other communications to the EL Centre’s community about being waste smart;
  • successfully maintaining a compost bin, worm farm, bokashi, chickens, guinea pigs or similar initiative to reduce or transform food waste; and
  • incorporating waste smart practices at events at the EL Centre (e.g. open days, fetes, fundraisers, clothes or toys swaps);

(j) the EL Centre demonstrates a willingness to reflect upon the successes and challenges of being a Waste Smart Kindy; and

(k) the EL Centre demonstrates a commitment to continual improvement in waste smart practices.

9. Only one application per EL Centre will be accepted.

10. Council will not accept applications which are incomplete or illegible.

11. Council reserves the right to cancel, suspend, modify or terminate the Course or Program at Council's sole discretion.

12. If an application satisfies the requirements, Council will make an appointment to visit the EL Centre.

13. All decisions made by Council regarding any aspect of the Program are final.

How applicants and EL Centres are notified

14. Council will notify applicants of the outcome of their application by telephone and/or email within four weeks of the date of their application submission.

15. Unsuccessful applicants may re-apply by completing the application form if they are notified of an unsuccessful application.

Waste Smart Kindy award pack

16. Successful applicants will receive the following for their EL Centre:

(a) an education pack of early learning resources and/or learning experiences focusing on waste minimisation. The pack will include a choice of two of the following items or experiences:

  • one book pack containing a selection of early learning picture books relating to waste, recycling and sustainability;
  • worm farm, worm blanket, instructional sign and worm poster; 
  • compost bin, instructional sign and compost aerator; 
  •  theatrical show/educational visit for children aged two to four years;
  • raised garden bed; 
  • recycling game; or 
  • two paper making kits; and 

(b) the choice of Waste Smart Kindy banner from the options available;

(c) a certificate for the EL Centre acknowledging the EL Centre as a Waste Smart Kindy;

(d) digital assets which can be used on social media or website or included in e-newsletters to acknowledge and recognise the EL Centre as a Waste Smart Kindy; and 

(e) the EL Centre will be listed as a Waste Smart Kindy on www.brisbane.qld.gov.au at for a period of three years

(the Award Pack).

17. Council will contact the successful applicant to arrange a suitable date for the local Councillor to present the Award Pack within four weeks of Council notifying the applicant in accordance with condition 14.

18. The Award Pack is not exchangeable or transferable, and cannot be redeemed for cash. Any additional expenses incurred by the successful applicant, other than those outlined in these terms and conditions, are the responsibility of the successful applicant.

19. The successful applicant’s status as a Waste Smart Kindy is valid for a period of three years from the date the local Councillor or Council staff presents the Award Pack.  During this period, the successful applicant can display the Waste Smart Kindy signage and advertise their status as a Waste Smart Kindy.

20. At the conclusion of the three-year period, successful applicants can re-apply by completing the application form.

Privacy consent

21. By submitting an application form, you acknowledge and agree that:

(a) your personal information and information regarding your EL Centre shall be collected and stored by Council; and

(b) Council may use and disclose the personal information and other information provided by you for the purpose of conducting the Program and for any of the purposes set out in Council’s Privacy Policy.

22. By completing any unit of the Course, or submitting an application form, you acknowledge and agree that you, or your EL Centre, will be contacted by Council from time to time with relevant information relating to the Program or other waste minimisation practices.

23. If requested by Council, the successful applicant agrees to participate in promotional activity (such as publicity and photography) in relation to the Waste Smart Kindy Award Pack, free of charge. The successful applicant:

(a) consents to Council using their name, the EL Centre’s name and address, likeness, image and/or voice (including photograph, film and/or recording of the same); and

(b) agrees to provide Council with photographs of the EL Centre and consents to Council using the photographs, in any media for an unlimited period without compensation for the purpose of promoting the Program (including any outcome).

No liability of Council

24. Council accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any problems or technical malfunction of any communication network or for any late, misplaced, lost or ineligible applications.

25. The successful applicant is responsible for their use of the Award Pack, including complying with all relevant laws and any applicable terms and conditions of use.

26. Council makes no representations or warranties as to the quality, suitability or merchantability of the Course or the Award Pack.

27. To the extent permitted by law, Council is not liable for any loss or damage whatsoever which is suffered (including but not limited to direct or consequential loss which includes but is not limited to loss of actual or anticipated profit, loss of goodwill, loss of reputation, loss of opportunity, loss of savings and/or loss of contract) or for any personal injury sustained in connection with the entry into the Program or Course, or acceptance of the Award Pack. 

28. To the extent all or any part of condition 25 is found to be contrary to the Australian Consumer Law, but the Australian Consumer Law otherwise permits Council to limit Council's liability to the value of the Award Pack or the resupply of the Award Pack, then the liability of Council is instead limited, at Council's election, to either:

(a) the value of the Award Pack; or

(b) the resupply of the Award Pack,

howsoever such liability arises and whether arising in tort (including without limitation in negligence), for breach of contract (including without limitation under any identity), under statute, in equity or otherwise.

Program updates or cancellation

29. Council reserves the right to modify these terms and conditions at any time and to cancel or amend the Program at any time without further recourse to the applicants. Any updates to these terms and conditions will be published on Council’s website.

30. These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of Queensland.

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