Recycle Right -Let's put it in the right bin
All households are provided with a yellow lidded recycling bin, which is collected fortnightly on the same day as your refuse bin.
If you are unsure whether an item can be recycled look for the recycling symbol on the product packaging.
Aluminium cans, steel cans, foil trays and empty aerosols
Paper and cardboard
Empty milk and juice cartons
Pizza boxes
Empty glass bottles and jars (No lids)
Rigid plastic bottles and containers,
Sometimes there can be a great deal of confusion when trying to determine if a piece of plastic can be recycled.
The easist way is to look for the number within the recycling symbol. In the Burdekin we recycle numbers 1 to 5
Handy Tips
- Never bag your recyclables - keep them loose;
- Rinse or wipe out containers - clean food containers helps to reduce vermin and odours;
- The Scrunch Test -If a piece of plastic can be easily scrunched up or broken, then it probably can’t be recycled. If you are still unsure,then throw it in your normal rubbish bin. Examples of plastics that cannot be recycled include bubble wrap, plastic bags, lolly packets and meat trays made from foam;
- A general rule of thumb is that recyclable material smaller than a credit card will fall through the sorting machine at the reycling facility so these items can be thrown in the refuse bin; and
- Crushing recyclables will give you more room in your bin
Keep recyclables loose
Contamination CATASTROPHE!
Contamination occurs when items are placed in the recycle bin which cannot be recycled. Common contaminants include plastic bags, garden waste, clothing, food scraps, nappies and household rubbish. Contamination causes problems during the sorting of recyclables as well as affecting the ability of the item to be processed into new product.
Let’s help the helpers
The machinery being used in sorting and recycling facilities can cope with packaging, jars, and containers; however, it is important to think about the people who work there. Items such as wire, rope, clothes, plastic bags, and polystyrene cause the machines to clog and malfunction or breakdown. This can result in serious danger to our workers.
DO NOT put these items into your yellow-lidded recycle wheelie bin!
These items are to be placed in your refuse bin, greenwaste bin or taken to altenate facilities.
Remember to look for the recycling symbol if you are in doubt.
Placing the items listed below in your recycle bin contaminates the load as these items can not be recycled. Common contaminants include plastic bags, garden waste, clothing, food scraps, nappies and household rubbish. Contamination causes problems during the sorting of recyclables as well as affecting the ability of the item to be processed into new product.
The machinery being used in sorting and recycling facilities can cope with packaging, jars, and containers; however, it is important to think about the people who work there. Items such as wire, rope, clothes, plastic bags, and polystyrene cause the machines to clog and malfunction or breakdown. This can result in serious danger to our workers.
Food Waste
Green waste
Disposable Nappies
Old Clothes
If it is in good condition consider if the item can be donated to a charity shop or Council's Transfer Station second hand shops instead of sending to landfill
Plastic Bags and wrap
An alternative is to return soft plastics to your supermarket instead
Polystyrene cups and trays and styrofoam packaging material
Coffee Cups
Coffee cups cannot be recycled as they are lined with plastic, which means they cannot be sorted properly at the recycling facility.
Pyrex, ovenware, plates, cups or crockery
Mirrors and broken homeware glass
Drinking glasses and vases etc have a different chemical composition and melting point to container glass making it unrecyclable.
Liquids or chemcials
Let’s Recycle Right!
Keep it simple – only recycle hard plastics and containers, steel and aluminium cans, glass bottles and jars and paper and cardboard in your yellow lid recycling bin.
Let’s Recycle Right!
Keep it loose – don’t bag or box any recyclables in your yellow lid recycling bin. It’s important to keep them loose so they can be easily sorted.
Let’s Recycle Right!
Keep it clean – rinse or wipe out food containers and keep food scraps, nappies, general waste and fabric out of your yellow lid recycling bin.
Let’s Recycle Right!
Keep it Safe - No hazardous items or harmful items that might danage the machines. Items include electrical cords, wire, hose, nettings, fabrics etc
Let’s Recycle Right!
Keep out Soft Plastics - This means no plastic, degradable, biodegradable or compostable bags.
Let’s Recycle Right!
Keep out Small Items - Any items that are smaller than a credit card. Items can include bottle top lids or small pieces of paper or cardboard. Place these in your red lidded refuse bin.
Let's put it in the right bin
All households are provided with a red lidded refuse bin, which is collected weekly on the same day every week.
If you are unsure whether an item is refuse or recycle look for the refuse symbol on the product packaging.
Food waste
Disposable nappies
Old clothes
If it is in good condition consider if the item can be donated to a charity shop instead of sending to landfill
Old toys
If it is in good condition consider if the item can be donated to a charity shop or Council's Transfer Station second hand shops instead of sending to landfill
Plastic bags and wrap
An alternative is to return soft plastics to your supermarket instead
Polystyrene cups and trays and styrofoam packaging material
Coffee Cups
Coffee cups cannot be recycled as they are lined with plastic, which means they cannot be sorted properly at the recycling facility.
Pyrex, ovenware, plates, cups or crockery
Mirrors and broken homeware glass
Drinking glasses have a different chemical composition and melting point to container glass making it unrecyclable.
Handy Tips
Reducing waste is important. The existing landfill in the Shire has a limited lifespan, and there is a shortage of land available for new landfills.
The generation and management of waste can also have a number of potential environmental impacts, including the loss of natural resources, pollution of air and waterways and the contamination of land.
The average Australian family generates enough waste each year to fill a three bedroom house from floor to ceiling. There are a number of simple things that you can do to reduce the amount of waste your family produces.
- Avoid excess packaging when purchasing products
- Buy products in reusable or recyclable packaging
- Say no to plastic bags
- Take lunches to school or work in reusable containers
- Repair clothes, toys and electronics rather than throwing them away
- Recycle wherever possible
- Compost food and garden waste
Remember - Avoid, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Take a virtual tour through Townsville’s one and only Materials Recovery Facility, where all the recyclables from the Burdekin Shire region’s yellow-lidded recycle bins are brought! Find out about the technology and machinery being used to help process, sort and bale recyclables.
This facility is responsible for the recovery of recyclable material from the regions of Townsville, Burdekin, Hinchinbrook and Whitsunday.
Green lidded green waste bins are collected fortnightly (on the alternate week to your recycle bin) on the same day as your refuse bin.
By recovering garden waste Council is reducing the amount of methane, a greenhouse gas, being produced; conserving space in the Kirknie Road and fill and re-using a valuable resource.
Palm Fronds
Leaves
Lawn Clippings
Small Branches
Garden Prunings
Handy Tips
- Placing twigs and small branches at the bottom of your bin will help in emptying the bin.
- Do not dispose of kitchen scraps in your greeen waste bin
Large quantities of green waste to dispose?
Large quantities of both domestic and commerical green waste can be disposed of at Kirknie Landfill, Ayr, Home Hill and Giru Transfer Stations free of charge.
Free Mulch!
Recovered garden waste is processed into mulch which Burdekin residents can collect free of charge from Council's Transfer Stations. Mulch needs to be loaded by the person taking it, as Council does not provider a loader on site. If you require a large amount of mulch you can arrange to bring a loader on site providing the operator has all the relevant tickets and public liability insurance. Please contact Council's Waste Services Team on (07) 4783 9800 if you require large quanities of mulch.