This document discusses various topics related to recycling in Australia. It provides information on: 1. Common items that can be recycled such as paper, cardboard, plastics, glass, metals, e-waste, batteries, and food scraps. 2. Benefits of recycling including reducing waste sent to landfills, conserving natural resources, saving energy, and reducing pollution. 3. Proper procedures for recycling different materials through municipal collection programs or special drop-off locations.

2. 1. Reduction in Landfills - recycle reduces the amount of waste
sent to landfill.
2. Reduce pollution
3. Recovering resources - can then be used to make new
products.
4. Save Energy and money

3.  Syringes
 Chemicals
 Nappies
 Gas bottles
 Plastic bags
 Bubble wrap
 Ceramic plates
 Wax paper

4.  Did you know that Australia is the second biggest producer of
rubbish in the world?
 Each person in Australia produces a tone of waste every year.
 But it does not have to be that way if we change the way we
think about it.
 Recycle is not just to reduce the amount of waste, it also allows
us to save some of our natural resources and reuse them to
make new packaging and products.

6. Anything that once grew can be put in your green organics bin for composting.
So remember, if it grows, then it goes in your green organics bin!
This includes garden organics and food scraps including:
 Grass clippings
 Leaves
 Flowers
 Weeds
 Small pruning’s an d branches
 Fruit and vegetable scraps
 Meat, fish scraps and bones
 Dairy products (cheese, yogurt)
 Egg shells
 Tea bags and coffee grounds
 Bread, rice, pasta, cereal
 Out of date and spoiled food
 Leftovers from your plate
 and even hair

7.  The yellow lidded bin is for recyclable items only and is
collected fortnightly.
 Recyclables are taken to a Materials Recovery Facility.
 Residents of single residential households have 1 x 240L yellow
recycling bin each.
 Residents of multi unit - share 240L or 1100L yellow recycling bins.
What can I put in my yellow bin?
 paper and cardboard
 plastic bottles, tubs and containers
 aluminium, steel and aerosol cans
 glass bottles and jars
 milk and juice cartons.

8.  The first level of recycling is done by hand. Workers at the
recycling station sort through tones of materials a day. They
do not have time to open the bags and get all and get all of the
recyclable things inside.
 It is to dangerous and time consuming to open and sort bags,
they have to throw them into the rubbish.
 In most cases, making products from recycled materials uses
less water and energy than making them from new materials.

9. 1. Aluminium
2. Batteries
3. Cardboard
4. Paper
5. Food Scraps
6. E-Waste
7. Steel
8. Water
9. Rainwater

11.  Aluminium is the second most used material in the world.
 Its used in aircrafts, the building industry, computers, cookware and
more.
 Drink cans, aluminium foil, foil food trays can be recycled.
 It can be recycled over and over again.
 If you recycle 1 aluminium can it saves enough electricity to run
your TV for 4 HOURS.
 1kg of aluminium saves 2kg of green house gas from the
atmosphere.
 Recycling aluminium is cheaper and consumes lesser energy than
making it new from raw materials.

12. WHY IS ALUMINIUM RECYCLING GREAT FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT?
 Aluminium recycling is great for the environment because it
takes and uses aluminium which would otherwise end up in
thrash mountains that many countries in the world have.
Thrash mountains are huge dump sites open to the air, with
metals and everything all mixed up in them and are unsightly
and hazardous to health.
 The cans should be empty and the foil should be free from
food.
 Before putting them in collection bins they do not need to be
spotless so be careful not to waste water when preparing
them.

13.  There are two types of batteries:
1. the first one is called primary -single use, it is found in
watches, clocks/watches, toys, smoke alarms, smoke
controls.
2. The second one is called secondary-rechargeable
batteries they are found in mobile phones,
laptops/computers, cameras, cordless items and more.
 Every year Aussies use 1000 tones of batteries a year.
 To reduce batteries, buy rechargeable ones.
Why should we recycle batteries?
 Batteries contain toxic things like cadmium, mercury, and
lead which are harmful to the environment.
What happens to batteries ?
 They are sorted into primary and secondary then they are
sent to the a recycling facility in Australia.

14. How to reduce your battery waste?
 Buying rechargeable batteries is an important way to reduce battery
waste.
 Each battery can be recharged up to 1000 times.
 There are many battery rechargers available for eg: Planet Ark
and Charge 'n' Go.
 It takes less than 15 minutes to recharge.
Battery collections
 Most councils offer regular collections and/or provide drop-off
locations for hazardous waste.
 Recycling battery components is a complex and expensive
process due to the chemistry involved.
 Plastics and metals, such as Ferro-nickel, can be recovered and
recycled. Cadmium, for example, is used to manufacture new
batteries.
 Drop off the battery when it is completely discharged – if you are not
sure, cover the poles of the battery with a piece of sticky tape.

15. Why should we recycle cardboard?
 It is one of the easiest and most environmental materials to recycle
since the fibre in cardboard has already been processed.
 Therefore making cardboard products from recycled material, saves
not only trees, but also large amounts of water (up to 99%less) and
energy (up to 50% less).
 Manufacturing from recycled material also produces up to 90% less by-
products such as chemical wastes.
 For these reasons, it is important to recycle your cardboard and buy
paper and cardboard products with recycled content.
 Every time paper is processed the individual fibres become weaker. It
can be recycled up to 8 times.
 Paper that has been recycled as many times as the fibres will allow is
turned into compost and breaks down naturally.
 More than 80% of Australia's cardboard packaging is made from
recycled fibre.
 Cardboard can be recycled with paper and is remade into many
different kinds of paper products.
 For each kilogram of cardboard recycled, you save up to 1 kilogram of
greenhouse gases.
 Wax coated cardboard (like some fruit boxes) cannot be recycled.

16. Reducing cardboard use
 Re-use cardboard boxes where possible before recycling.
We can make:
 Cards
 Boxes
 Packaging
 Photo frames
 Toilet rolls
 Egg cartons.

17.  Australian homes and offices use up to 2.4 million tones a
year.
 When paper breaks down in landfill it creates methane.
 Keep your paper free of food scraps and plastic.
 Paper can be recycled into many things.
Reducing paper waste
 Think before printing - do as many things as you can on
screen, such as reviewing, editing and completing forms.
 Use both sides of every sheet of paper.
 Used envelopes can be also be written on as notepaper.

18.  Every year Australians through away an estimate of 3 million
tones or 5.2 billion dollars of food.
 Wasted food is not a waste of money it is a waste of the
recourses used to grow, harvest and transport.
 A compost bin is a great idea if you want to put your food
scapes to good waste.

19.  Research by Australian government has shown that most
households buy too much food, cook too much food, and throw
away leftovers. With the better organisation, minimising your food
waste can be easy.
- Know how much food to cook for each person,
- Make a shopping list and stick to it,
- Store your food appropriately to keep it fresher for longer,
- Think of tasty ways to use your leftovers,
- Work out a weekly meal plan for your household,
- Buy some items in bulk.

20.  Having your own compost bin is a cheap, rewarding way to
recycle your food scraps and garden cuttings.
 Compost is an excellent soil conditioner that improves soil
fertility and encourages plant growth.
 Many community gardens run composting and worm farming
workshops to help you get started.
 Wasted food also wastes the energy, water, money and
resources used to produce, process, store and transport the
food.

21.  E-waste is short for electronic waste.
 It is recycling computers, phones, laptops, I pads, printers,
scanners, cameras and more.
 When e-waste is put into landfill it is very hazardous
because it contains lead, cadmium, mercury and that goes
into the atmosphere.
 Electronic waste components also contain valuable raw
materials, such as copper, iron, silicon, nickel and gold,
which can be collected and reused.

22.  Personal computers, monitors, laptops, printers and many
other associated computer equipment often contain
chemicals within plastics and circuit board designed to
prevent the device catching on fire.
 While this seemed like a good idea at the time, the
chemicals used are highly carcinogenic and are not broken
down naturally in the environment.

23. What do Australians do with
their old mobile phones?
According to an AMTA survey conducted in January 2010:
 52% of Australians keep their old mobile phones, working or not
 23% give their old mobile phones to family or friends
 5% are thrown out
 4% of people have lost or had their mobile phone stolen
 3% recycle them
 4% said it was still in use
 4% traded them
 1% donated to charity

24.  Modern steel in manufactured from iron ore.
 Iron needs to be 1700o C before it can turn into steel.
 It’s 100% recyclable and can also be recycled infinite amount of times.
Why should we recycle steel?
 Making steel cans from recycled materials uses 75% less energy than
producing it from raw materials.
 1kg of steel keeps 2kg of greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere.
 1 tone of steel recycles:
1131kg of iron
633kg of coal
54kg of limestone
 All types of steel can be recycled including food tins, bottle tops paint
tins, aerosols and scrap metal.

25. What happens to steel?
 After collection, steel, scrap, metal and steel cans are taken
to a steel refinery.
 Tin is removed from the steel cans through reverse
electroplating.

26. If we leave a tap running when we clean our teeth, we can waist up to
5 litres of water a minute.
Only 1 % of the worlds water is fresh and 60% is ground water.
Grey water tanks
 It is not clean enough to drink but we use the water to flush toilets,
for washing clothes and to water our gardens.
 It can replace up to a third of household water usage.
Rainwater
 It can replace with half of our water supply.
 You need to use less conditioner when you wash with rainwater as
it is softer than tap water.

27.  Cardboard (flattened)
 Fluorescent lights
 Electronic waste (computers,
televisions, printers etc.)
 Household batteries
 Lead acid batteries (cars and
motorbikes)
 Mobile phones
 Motor oil (up to 20 litres)
 Paper
 Plastic
 Printer cartridges
 Scrap metal
Monday to Friday 7.30am - 3.45pm JFR (Jim) McGeough Resource
Weekends 10.00am - 1.00pm Recovery
Public Holidays 7.30am - 1.00pm Cnr Brockway Road & Lemnos Street,
Shenton Park

28. City of Stirling Balcatta recycle:
 Scrap metals
 Mixed plastic
 Glass and jags
 Clothing
 Furniture and batteries
Map Of Balcatta recycling centre
238 Balcatta Road, Balcatta
Monday to Sunday: 7.30am 4.00pm

29. The following items are accepted:
 Gas Bottles
 Batteries -Vehicle Single Use- Rechargeable
 Glass Bottles and Jars
 Aluminium Cans Aluminium Foil
 Newspapers Magazines Office Paper Pizza Boxes
 Cardboard
 Doors & Window Frames
 Bicycles
 Boats (in good condition)
 Household Furniture (in good condition
 Paint Cans (empty or up to 20litres per visit)
 Pesticides (20 litres per visit) Garden Chemicals
 Oil - Cooking Used Motor
 Computers & Accessories
 Mobile Phones Address:
 E WASTE- printers, cartridges, televisions. 1700 Marmion Avenue Mindarie 6030, WA
Phone: 9306 6303

31. This is a fluorescent light recycling.
It is available at all Bunnings warehouses.

32.  When you put materials into your recycling bin, don’t ever put them in a plastic bag.
 Don’t put oven-proof glass, drinking glasses or ceramic mugs in your bin. Just 25g of
oven-proof glass can contaminate one tonne of normal glass, making it useless for
recycling.
 All types of printer cartridges are now recyclable all around Australia through the
‘Cartridges 4 Planet Ark’ program.
 Drink cans are commonly recycled. However, many people forget about the cans
they drink from away from home. If you can’t find a recycling bin take them home
with you and recycle them with your other home recyclable items.
 Keep recycling those newspapers and magazines! Last year, we recycled the
equivalent of 1 billion newspapers into newsprint and other paper materials. When it
comes to newspapers and magazines, we are arguably the best recyclers in the
world.
 Rinse out containers, jars and bottles before putting them in your recycling bin. Just
give them a quick clean.
 Remove the lids from bottles and jars before putting items your recycling bin.
 Pizza boxes, paper bags or cardboard boxes containing food also need special
treatment before putting them into your recycling bin. Take out all food items before
recycling and remember if the cardboard/paper box or paper bag is too soiled or
greasy it cannot be recycled.

33.  You might be surprise at what rubbish can be turned into.
 It can be turn into:
1. Glass bottles – a material called fibre glass, this mix of strong glue
and thin strips of glass can be used to make canoes and boats.
2. Paper, cards, cotton, leather and wool are made from plants or
animals.
3. Material such as metal and plastic do not rot. They remain in landfill
forever and may cause pollution.
4. If you recycle 1 plastic bottle you save enough energy to light 60 walt
light bulb for about up to 6 hours.
5. It takes 17 trees to make 1tone of paper.

34.  People don’t wont to put in the extra effort.
 Some people don’t have enough space in their
houses.
 People are saying that its to time consuming.
 People say it doesn't make a difference.
 People say it’s to hard.

35. Everyone of us can do our bit for environment.
Recycling used products helps create a healthy
environment for us and future generations to enjoy.

36. Books:
Powel J.(2008) “What happens when we recycle metal?”, Franklin
Watts, Franklin Watts Australia,
Powel J.(2008) “What happens when we recycling water? Franklin
Watts Franklin Watts Australia,
Perini J (2008) “ Environment saving our Planet, Young Reed,
Chatswood NSW.
Internet research:
 Australian Plantation Products and Paper Industry Council
 Compost for Soils (www.compostforsoils.com.au)
 Recycle At Work WA (recycleatwork.com.au)
 Food Bank (www.foodbank.com.au)
 RecyclingNearYou.com.au
 http://www.mrc.wa.gov.au/tamala-park-operations/refuse---
recycling.aspx
 http://www.batteryworld.com.au
 Battery World (2010), http:/battreryworld.com.au