What goes in your Wheelie Bins?

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 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.

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.