Keep ‘recycling right’ over the festive break

The gifts are unwrapped, there’s packaging strewn across the floor, children are laughing and families are reflecting on the traditional festive feast.

Christmas is a time for giving, but it is also a period that sees thousands of tonnes of waste and household rubbish skyrocket.

From decorations to reams of wrapping paper, boxes of packaging to unwanted gifts and food scraps, the festive period is also a glut for wasteness.

Residents are being reminded that they can do their bit to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill by “recycling right”.

“People can generally be forgiven for slipping into holiday mode at this time of year, but continuing to separate recyclables from other waste is a simple little thing we can all do that will have significant benefits for the environment,” Mayor Bob Manning said.

“We generally create more waste at Christmas time than at other times of the year.

“We eat more and leave more food scraps; we open presents and discard large amounts of packaging.”

Both general waste and recycling volumes can increase by 30 per cent or more at this time of year.

“With all that extra household rubbish, it is easy to fill the general waste bin and then decide to use the yellow-lid bin for general waste too,” Cr Manning said.

“That can cause real problems with our recycling due to high levels of contamination, which could see whole truckloads of recyclable material end up in landfill.

“We need to remain vigilant and make sure we do the right thing all year round, regardless of the season.”

Some types of wrapping paper can be recycled, as can cardboard boxes and some plastics that used for packaging.

Residents are reminded that if they are unsure about which bin something goes in, they can check on Council’s Recycle Right website (http://recycleright.cairns.qld.gov.au note – no www).

“There are six videos that demonstrate how easy it is to ‘recycle right’, along with an A-Z waste guide to help you along the way,” Cr Manning said.

Residents can also keep waste volumes down by purchasing food and other items with minimal packaging, as well as or by reusing items.

“Disposal of recyclable items is free all year round. If your yellow-lid bin is full, rather than putting recyclables in your general waste bin, you can always take a load down to one of the waste transfer stations,” Cr Manning said.

All kerbside waste collection will continue as per normal schedule during the holiday period, including public holidays.

Requests for additional bin collections will only be processed between 9am and 2pm on 29, 30 and 31 December 2020. Any requests outside of these times will be processed the next working day.

Waste transfer stations are open every day except Christmas Day.