Recycling volumes are up and contamination rates are down since the introduction of the multi-bin system in the Tweed in late 2009 – but there’s still some confusion about what materials go into each bin.
Mayor of Tweed Councillor Kevin Skinner congratulated residents on their efforts using the red-lidded bin for general waste, the yellow-lidded bin for recycling and the optional green-lidded bin for garden prunings.
“However, there are still some common misconceptions about what goes in what bin,” Cr Skinner said.
“The top offenders which people mistakenly put in the yellow-lidded recycling bin are plastic bags, glassware, sheet glass and ceramics, paper with food residue, nappies, garden hoses and e-waste (electronic goods).”
“Our contamination rates have dropped from 12-15 per cent to four per cent since the introduction of the multi-bin system – which is a fantastic effort – however this campaign aims to target the main gaps in knowledge to further reduce this contamination rate,” he said.
Council’s Environmental Education Officer Sascha Piotrkowski explained that another benefit of correct recycling is it extends the life of the landfill by redirecting recyclables to the appropriate facilities so they can be made into new products.
“By losing recyclables to landfill, we use up our limited landfill space more quickly when those recyclables could have been put to a better use,” Ms Piotrkowski said.
“To date this financial year, our recycling facility alone has disposed of 1200 tonnes of contamination in recyclables to landfill at a cost of $100 per tonne, which equates to $120,000 per year.”
Council is using high visibility advertising to attract as wide an audience as possible and capture those who don’t read local newspapers or are visiting the area.
The recycling education campaign will feature internal and external bus advertising, ads on bus shelters and local cinema advertising to inform as many people as possible.
More detailed information will be available on Council’s website www.tweed.nsw.gov.au this week. This will include an updated brochure on the multi-bin system which includes more information on recyclables and other recycling options and advice on bin placement on pick-up day.
Anyone who doesn’t have internet access can ring (02) 6670 2694 to have a copy posted out.
