Bundaberg Regional Council and Planet Ark are encouraging residents to discover new ways to reduce, reuse and recycle during National Recycling Week 2024.
The campaign’s call to action, Join the Cycle, urges councils, workplaces, schools, and individuals to engage in improving their recycling knowledge and building better recycling practices.
The campaign also urges waste reduction through other activities such as refusing or reducing consumption and repairing and reusing what we already have.
Running from 11 – 17 November, National Recycling Week provides an opportunity for residents and workplaces to learn simple methods of reducing their environmental footprint and preventing waste.
Water, Waste and Renewable Economy portfolio spokesperson Cr Gary Kirk said there were plenty of local opportunities and outlets to support residents to improve their recycling habits.
“While we hope people are keeping recycling in mind all year long, National Recycling Week presents a great opportunity to learn more about how to Recycle Right,” Cr Kirk said.
“There are many recycling options beyond what goes in your kerbside recycling bin, including services for common items such as mobile phones, televisions and computers, batteries and much more.
“I encourage residents to take advantage of the great resources Council has available, including our Waste and Recycling Handy Guide and the Recycle Mate app, to learn more about recycling options within the community.”
Planet Ark research shows almost three in four (73%) Australians believe they are doing enough to increase recycling rates in their own home, despite municipal solid waste remaining a significant contributor to overall waste levels.
Planet Ark CEO Rebecca Gilling said Planet Ark was asking Australians to pause and think this National Recycling Week about what they are currently sending to landfill.
“There are a range of options out there to recycle all manner of different household items, so if you’re unsure check with your local council or through Planet Ark’s Recycling Near You platform,” Rebecca said.
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, Mobile Muster and Tetra Pak, media partner Seven West Media and supporting sponsors Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation and Cartridges 4 Planet Ark.
To learn more or get involved in National Recycling Week visit nationalrecyclingweek.com.au.
The Quality of Chinese manufacture is incredibly substandard. The Biggest source of Landfill on the Planet at present. It is a deliberate policy which needs to be addressed.
I would love to see rubbish bins along our streets, when walking the dog I can walk 10 kls and not a rubbish bin in sight. Between Macas and Hungrys, no bins so rubbish litters the streets. The list is endless