Items in bags

Give your items the best chance of being recycled by placing them in the bin loose. The sorting machines can’t do their job otherwise, and items whizz past too fast for workers to save anything in a bag. Keep it loose by simply emptying out your bag or container that helps get your recycling from the kitchen to the kerbside bin.

Nappies

Regardless of what they are made from, nappies should only ever be placed in the general waste bin. Only the empty cardboard box they come in can be recycled.
Be A GREAT Sort: Consider going ‘old school’ and use modern cloth nappies instead of disposables.

Items with stuff still in them

Empty and rinsed is the mantra when it comes to good recycling practices! Wash or scrape out any remnants of food or, for example bathroom items like soap, conditioner and shampoo, before you put the empty container in the recycling bin. This helps to prevent contamination and improve recycling rates. It’ll also stop your recycling bin at home from smelling funky and attracting pests.

Plastic lids

Small plastic lids, like those found on milk and soft drink bottles need to be removed and placed in with your general rubbish. It may sound counter-intuitive, but these small items can wreak havoc with the sorting machines and reduce the amount that can be recycled in the long-run.

Be a GREAT Sort: WA is the only Australian state to accept back the lids of eligible 10c containers. Stash the lids so you can return them when you next visit your nearest refund point or take them to your community drop-off points that collect these items.

Hazardous items like needles, batteries and gas cylinders

• These items don’t belong in your recycling bin——or any kerbside bin for that matter——as they can harm workers or cause explosions and fires. Be a GREAT Sort and do better than the bin by taking these items to special drop-off locations, and keep our waste workers safe.