It’s National Recycling Week!
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This National Recycling Week, residents are being encouraged to brush up on their recycling knowledge.
Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week kicks off on Monday 7 November and aims to educate the community and inspire behaviour change through promoting recycling initiatives and busting myths about what can and can’t be recycled.
Cardinia Shire Council’s General Manager Infrastructure and Environment Peter Benazic said that recycling and reducing waste not only keeps valuable materials out of landfill, but also benefits the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and our need for new materials.
“This year we are asking residents to brush up on their recycling knowledge to reduce contamination in recycling bins. Contamination can lead to your recycling bin contents being sent to landfill,” Mr Benazic said.
As part of this year’s celebrations, Cardinia Shire has organised the following events:
National Recycling Week pop-up stallJoin our waste team to brush up your recycling knowledge!
Wednesday 9 November, 10am to 1pm Village Lakeside Shopping Centre, 9 Lakeside Boulevard, Pakenham
Thursday 10 November, 9am to 1pm Pakenham Central Marketplace, 50/54 John St, Pakenham
Free movie screening: 2040 Documentary | Join the RegenerationJoin Cardinia Shire's Waste team for a film screening of 2040 and discover the future we could create if we embraced the best climate solutions available today.
Friday 11 November, 5.30pm to 7pm Lakeview Room at Cardinia Cultural Centre, 40 Lakeside Boulevard, Pakenham To book: Click here
Cooking with food scraps workshopJoin Cardinia Shire Council to learn how to reduce your food waste and save money.
Saturday 12 November, 11am to 12pm Emerald Library, 400B, Belgrave-Gembrook Rd, Emerald To book: Click here
A recent audit of Cardinia Shire’s recycling showed that 27% of the items placed in kerbside recycling bins do not belong in recycling.
The most common incorrect items were plastic bags and ‘soft’ plastics, including wrappers and flexible packagings such as biscuit wrappers, bread bags, chip packets, salad mix packets, and frozen vegetable bags.
“Please help us make the most of recycling by keeping plastic bags and soft plastics OUT of your recycling bin,” Mr Benazic said.
“For health and safety reasons, staff who sort materials at recycling facilities cannot open bags, so bags are removed and sent to landfill, even if they contain acceptable recyclables.”
Top five contaminants in recycling bins in Cardinia Shire
What to do with these items
Bagged recycling
Recycling should be loose, not bagged.
Soft plastics
Return to the store for recycling at participating supermarkets in the REDcycle bin, otherwise in your rubbish bin.
Household rubbish
Kerbside rubbish (landfill bin). Details on individual items can be found at www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/atozwasteguide
Clothing and textiles
Sell or donate if in good condition.
If damaged, recycle at clothing retailers H&M and Zara. Some op-shops will accept damaged clothing for rags, always ask first. Local mechanics, painters or vet clinic may also be able to use them for rags.
Otherwise, put it in your rubbish bin.
Food and garden waste
Compost bin, worm farm or kerbside green waste bin.