Top five items we don't want in recycling bins
Our bin inspectors have been looking through random recycling (yellow lid) bins to check for contamination.
Putting the wrong things in your bin makes it difficult for the people who sort your recycling and makes it harder to turn your recycling into new things.
These are the top five items we don't want to see in recycling bins:
Bags of rubbish
Bags of rubbish can tear open inside the collection truck. This spills general waste throughout the load and can make some of the recyclables unusable, so they are sent to landfill instead. Put bags of rubbish in your landfill bin (red lid).
Soft plastic packaging
Soft plastics include plastic bags, cling wrap, chip packets, postage satchels, food wrappers, frozen vegetable bags, pet food bags and more. Soft plastics cannot be recycled in your kerbside bins – instead, put them in your landfill bin (red lid).
Check here for an update on Council’s soft plastics trial.
Tissues and paper towel
Although tissues are made of paper, they cannot be recycled in your yellow-lid bin because they are made of short fibres that are not high enough quality to be recycled. Used tissues and paper towel are also a hygiene issue for staff at recycling facilities. Put all used tissues and large amounts of paper towel in your landfill bin (red lid).
Shoes, pillows and clothing
Clothes, towels, linen and shoes cannot be recycled through your yellow-lid bin. They are removed at the sorting facility and sent to landfill. Check Council’s website for options to repair, swap, and donate pre-loved textiles and shoes. If there’s no other option, put them in your landfill bin (red lid).
Polystyrene
Packaging from new appliances, like a fridge or TV, cannot be recycled in your yellow lid bin. It’s removed at the sorting facility and sent to landfill. Instead, drop off up to 0.5m3 of polystyrene at the Anglesea and Lorne transfer station.
So now you know, keep these items out of your recycling bin. Because the less contamination we put in our bins, the more of your recycling can be turned into new things.
And remember, put all glass bottles and jars in your glass-only bin (purple lid). Empty all bottles and scrape jars clean.
Your small acts make a big impact on Victoria’s sustainable future.