Recycling at Home
Recycling is not as complicated as it may seem.
Recycling is not as complicated as it may seem. When you dispose of your waste correctly, you can help reduce the amount of waste you send to the landfill, increase the amount of recyclable material that can be made into a new product, and reduce the contamination of the recycling streams.
The best way to recycle is to have a designated place to store your recycled materials in your house, next to your general waste bin. This way, everyone in the house will remember to recycle.
Australasian Recycling Labels (ARL): Recycling can feel a little confusing, but the ARL provides easy instructions on what packaging can be recycled and tells you where to dispose of each packaging element. The Australasian Recycling Labels will have 3 symbols that will help you understand what parts of the packaging are recyclable. Make sure to check the ARL to ensure your packaging is being placed in the correct bin.
Plastic Identification Codes: The numbers you find on the bottom of plastic products don’t mean that the container can be recycled in your kerbside recycling bin. These numbers are a plastic identification code that classifies the type of plastic resin a product is made from. Generally, most plastics labelled #1 and #2 can be recycled, and plastics #3 to 7# are more difficult to recycle. Remember to consult the plastic identification code before placing any packaging in the recycling to ensure it is sent to the right place.
Recycle Mate: You can download a free app from anywhere in Australia called Recycle Mate. This app will give you disposal advice based on your location by adding a photo or typing the name of the item you want to dispose of. It is a great tool to avoid confusion and help you learn about recycling tips related to your local area.
The Australasian Recycling Label (ARL)
Plastic Identification Codes
The Recycle Mate App
Kerbside Recycling
Kerbside recycling should not be bagged. Keep the items loose in the bin to ensure they are sorted correctly and will not end up in landfill.
The following guide will help you recycle correctly at home – When you throw items in the recycling bin, keep the following in mind:
- Flatten boxes
- Remove all food and liquid from containers
- If there is grease or food on your pizza box, it belongs to the general waste
- Nappies are not recyclable
- E-waste does not belong in the recycling bin (such as old phones, or batteries)
- Used tissues or paper towels are not recyclable
- Food waste cannot be disposed of in the recycling bin
- Broken crockery and tempered cookware glass should be kept out of the recycling bin (they go to general waste)
- Clothes and fabric are not acceptable in the kerbside recycling bin
- To recycle aluminum foil, you must collect smaller pieces into a ball at least the size of a golf ball
Organic Bin
Food waste accounts for 8 to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In Australia, there are more than 7.6 million tonnes of food waste each year, costing the economy more than $36.6 billion annually. Food waste is a major contributor to climate change, but you can take actions to stop this. (Resources – OZ Harvest)
A few actions you can take to fight food waste:
- Use up your food before buying more
- Make stocks from the parts of your food that usually go to the bin
- Freeze what you can eat later
- Donate excess food to a food distribution charity (OZ Harvest or Foodbank)
A compost bin, compost heap or worm farm at home is a great way to recycle your food scraps. You can also check if your neighbourhood is composting through ShareWaste.
By the end of 2023, Australian Federal and State Governments have targeted introducing a new kerbside recycling bin dedicated to food scraps and garden waste (FOGO). If you are located in Brisbane, there are selected areas where households can place their food scraps in the green waste recycling bin.
Container Deposit Scheme
If you are located in Queensland or Western Australia, you can access Containers for Change recycling schemes. If you are in NSW, you can access the Return and Earn scheme.
These schemes recycle eligible bottles and cans and return 10 cents which you can keep or donate. To be part of this scheme, you have to collect your empty bottles and cans, check the label to see if there is a 10c refund mark (in QLD, you can download the containers for change app on your phone), and you can return them and earn 10 cents for each item.
To return your containers at Return and Earn scheme in NSW, you can leave the lids on, as they can also be recycled. However, if you use the Containers for Change scheme, you should remove the lids. All containers must be empty (you don’t have to rinse them) and cannot be crushed if you are processing them through a reverse vending machine.
In QLD, Containers for Change is trialling a Container Collection service! You can cash in your containers from home, and it is available in multiple suburbs!
Other Items You Can Recycle
Batteries
Never dispose of old batteries in your household recycling or rubbish bin. They can produce sparks that may start fires.
You can recycle your old batteries at major retailers (Aldi, Woolworths, Officeworks), or you can find a drop-off point using the following link: https://bcycle.com.au/
E-waste
You can recycle most of your e-waste at OfficeWorks. Otherwise, TechCollect offers a list of drop-off sites here.
Mobile Phones can also be recycled via Mobile Muster, or resold via Mazuma!
Free Recycling Programs
Terracycle offers free recycling programs for hard-to-recycle waste streams (including the hard-to-recycle plastic number 7!). These programs include contact lenses, coffee pods, bread bag closures, dishwashing, and beauty product. You can join as many programs as you like here.
If you have any questions about recycling, get on your council website. Most councils have a website that will tell you what is accepted in the recycling bin. Otherwise, a few resources can help you recycle better:
