National Recycling Week 2023: what goes around, comes around

Published on 14 November 2023

Federation Council residents encouraged to keep valuable resources out of landfill Federation Council and Planet Ark are reminding residents that much of what we currently send to landfill is actually valuable material that could be reused, repurposed or recycled as part of National Recycling Week 2023. This year’s theme “What goes around, comes around” is all about providing simple and actionable tips that enable Australians to keep those valuable materials in circulation, whether at home, work or school.

Running from November 13-19, National Recycling Week provides an opportunity for residents and workplaces to learn simple methods of reducing their environmental footprint and preventing waste. Residents can host or join recycling themed events, brush up on their recycling knowledge with educational resources, learn about new developments in recycling policy and technology or discover tricks to reduce what they are sending to landfill and ensure resources don’t go to waste.

Last year, Planet Ark research revealed Australian households were potentially sending nearly 2.5 million tonnes of unnecessary waste to landfill. An estimated 9-18 per cent (441,000 tonnes conservatively) of all material sent to landfill by households is likely recyclable, while a massive 41-52 per cent (2,000,900 tonnes conservatively) could be composted at home or organic processing facilities. Addressing food waste and ensuring packaging is correctly recycled therefore forms a major component of this year’s National Recycling Week resources and activities.

“This year Planet Ark is asking Australians to pause and think about what they are currently sending to landfill and ask whether it is waste after all,” said Planet Ark CEO Rebecca Gilling.

“We have come a long way since National Recycling Week was established in 1996, but there is still more we could be doing to ensure valuable resources don’t end up wasted in landfill, especially when it comes to food waste and recycling our packaging.”

National Recycling Week was founded in 1996 as an opportunity for Australians to take waste and recycling into their own hands by improving their recycling knowledge and building better recycling habits. Since then, the annual recycling rate in Australia has increased from just 7 per cent of all disposed materials to more than 60 per cent.

Planet Ark has a number of tools and tips to enable community groups, councils, households and workplaces to get involved and start reducing waste in the National Recycling Week Resource Hub.

National Recycling Week is made possible by Major Sponsor Coles, Associate Sponsors Coca-Cola Australia and Samsara Eco, Media Partner Seven West Media and Supporting Sponsors Australasian Recycling Label, Mobile Muster and Cartridges 4 Planet Ark.

To learn more or get involved in National Recycling Week, visit nationalrecyclingweek.com.au.