Council will soon resume recycling bin inspections to check for contamination with checks being carried out in the morning before bin collections.
The check involves contractors lifting the bin lid to see the kinds of items placed inside with every bin placed out for collection in a designated area to receive a tag notifying residents of bad bin behaviour.
Green tags for those who have only recyclable items in their bin. Orange tags for bins that include one or two items that should not be placed in recycling bins and red tags for bins that include many items that should not be placed into the recycling bin.
The tag details the contaminating items and requests that residents do not place contaminating items into their recycling bin in the future.
Council ensures recycling bin checks are for educational purposes only and help to understand recycling behaviours, educate residents and target information in areas with high rates of contamination.
Contamination is a serious issue in the recycling industry, as contaminating items can disrupt the recycling sorting and processing for plastics, paper and metal materials. Contaminating items can also create a hazard for staff working in recycling centres.
Items that can go in your recycling bin
Cardboard boxes
Milk and juice cartons
Plastic bottles and lids, containers, trays, plant pots, cd and dvd covers
Glass bottles and jars (including lids)
Steel cans including aerosol and aluminium cans, clean aluminium foil and pie trays
Books, envelopes, brochures, newspapers and magazines
Plastic Toys
Pots and pans
Paint tins (dry/empty).
Items that can’t go in your recycling bin
Plastic bags
Food waste, meat, fish, poultry, scraps or bones,
Batteries, or items that use a battery or power cord
Plastic wrap, polystyrene, foam meat trays
Glassware, crockery, pyrex, light bulbs, window glass or mirrors
Garbage, nappies, videos or dvds
Waxed cardboard
Gas cylinders
Syringes
Green waste
Coffee cups or lids.
To find out where you can recycle other items visit the Recycling Near You website.
