Its National Recycling week this week and we thought we’d issue a challenge to everyone. How low can you go in terms of landfill waste? How many waste streams do you recycle and what are you doing to reduce waste? So many questions, so many options, so many benefits!
To reduce landfill waste you will need to…
- reduce what you create (and throw out)
- reuse and repair what you can
- recycle everything possible
Some simple tips are…
- only buy what you really need (and save money)
- eat all the food you buy – compost what’s left
- rely on reusable containers, buy in bulk with BYO containers
- refuse plastic bags, keep reusable bags handy
- use reusable sandwich bags, covers and wraps (silocone or bees wax covers)
- minimise use of disposable items
- with christmas coming use reusable wraping paper or give an experience rather than a ‘thing’
- know what can be recycled in your local bins
Knowing what can and can’t go in the recycling bin can be confusing. This year Planet Ark are becoming Recycling Mythbusters for National Recycling Week! Test your recycling knowledge and help bust recycling myths by taking the National Recycling Week quiz.
Take the Planet Ark Recycling Quiz here
In terms of Recycling and being the Guru…. Here is what we are recycling at home – you can too, just find your local recycling points – its easy!
- Co-mingled recycling – paper, plastic bottles, etc (kirbside bins)
- Organic waste (worm farm, compost, or via www.sharewaste.com )
- Soft plastics (take to supermarket recycling point)
- Garden waste – (compost or recycling garden waste kirbside bin)
- Coffee pods (Nespresso coffee recycling points locally)
- Batteries (drop at Aldi or other local recycling point)
- Corks (drop off point at an office)
- E-waste – phones, TV’s, electronic devices (local drop off point)
- Printer toners (recycle at Officeworks stores)
- Clothing – good clothing to op shops, rest to rags for cleaning
- Bread tags recycled for wheelchairs
- Paint – paint recycling centres
- White goods – hard rubbish should recycle, other local recycling points
- Wood – reuse around the home or separate at local tip for chipboard
- Landfill
Want to know what you can recycle and where? Planet Ark’s website is full of useful information and tips.
Also check out TerraCycle recycling programs. If it’s recyclable, its probably on this list!
