Posted on: July 13, 2020
Recycling is easy when you remember to just “recycle the five” – that is, paper, cardboard, cans (aluminium and steel), plastic (bottles and containers), and glass (bottles and containers).
.png)
Here are 13 items that people are often asking about which bin to put them in! (Spoiler, it’s never the recycling bin).
1. Soft plastics – These are things like plastic chip packets, bread bags, and squeezy pouches.. These kinds of plastic items go in the general waste bin.
2. Small plastic lids
These are too small for the sorting machines, so either take them back with their eligible 10c containers to your nearest Containers for Change refund point, or put into your general waste bin.
3. Nappies
Only the cardboard box they come in can be recycled. No matter what the disposable nappies themselves are made of, they need to go into your general waste bin.
Be A GREAT Sort: Consider going ‘old school’ and use modern cloth nappies instead of disposables.
4. Batteries
Whether it’s a small watch battery, general household batteries (like AA, AAA, C, D and 9 volt) or one for a vehicle——no batteries can go into either your recycling or general waste bin. Most batteries (except lead acid ones, and those made from lithium and thionyl chloride) need to be taken to your nearest hazardous drop off point or dropped in a dedicated battery recycling bin Find your nearest battery drop-off point and drop them off before you shop.
FYI: You can often take auto batteries back to the retailer/mechanic you purchased them from too, or check with your local council for your nearest drop off location.
5. Shredded paper
As this is too small for the machines at the recycling depots, place in your general waste bin.
Be A GREAT Sort: Add to your compost at home instead!
6. Takeaway coffee cups
Even the ‘green’ ones are made of composite material, so they need to go into your general waste bin.
Be A GREAT Sort: Opt for a reusable mug for your coffee hit. By using a reusable coffee cup every day instead of a disposable one, you can avoid creating 1kg of plastic waste a year!
7. Clothing and material
Even though these items can’t be recycled through your kerbside bin, they can be put to good use.
Share the love: Gift your quality items and only discard unrepairable clothing and textiles in the general waste bin.
8. Rope and hose pipes
As these can get tangled up in the recycling machinery, dispose of these in your general waste bin (cut them up into shorter lengths to avoid tangles in the bin!) or during your council bulk verge collection/annual skip bin program.
9. Electrical goods, including cables
All e-waste should be taken to your nearest recycling centre or arrange an e-waste pick-up if your council offers one.
10. Aerosols
Aerosol cans, even when empty, are a hazard in the kerbside recycling. So, take all aerosol cans (empty or full) to your nearest hazardous waste centre.
11. Light globes
Fluorescent tubes and energy-saving globes should be taken your nearest hazardous drop off or look out for a bin at your local shopping centre or library.
12. Printer cartridges
Many of these can be re-filled, so make sure you place them in a recycling bin, such as Planet Ark’s which can be found in a number of shopping centres, or drop inkjet and laser cartridges off at retailers like Australia Post stores, Officeworks, JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman (Check out the Recycle Right app to find your nearest).
13. Mobile phones
The phone is ringing and it’s not coming from any of the bins! If you’re decluttering your drawers, take your old phones to your nearest mobile phone collection point. Keep these out of your general waste and recycling bins. Reuse is better than recycle: Consider donating your old handpiece (but remember to delete any personal info first).
Top Tips:
Believe it or not, the average WA household throws away thousands of dollars every year…in wasted food that is. In fact, it’s estimated that around a quarter of all food purchased ends up in the bin (and often then landfill) rather than our stomachs.
The State Government’s ban on e-waste being disposed to landfill will come in to force next month.
Convenience or environmental disaster? Single-use plastics are ever-present in everyday life. Find out what you can do to reduce them.