Keep your recycling loose for a big impact

The City of Ballarat is promoting to residents the importance of keeping recyclable items loose in the yellow-lid recycling bin, so that more of our mixed recycling can be turned into new products.

The City of Ballarat, in partnership with Sustainability Victoria, has launched a Small Acts, Big Impact campaign.

More than 6,140 tonnes of household recyclables were collected by City of Ballarat recycling collection vehicles in 2023. The Ballarat municipality’s recycling is transported to and processed at Australian Paper Recovery in Truganina.

About 25 per cent of the municipality’s recycling material is contaminated. The state average sits at about 17 per cent. More recently, our contamination has been as high as 45 per cent.  

Most contamination is caused by plastic bags – with recyclables mistakenly bagged in plastic bags. Coffee cups, tissues and paper towel, glass and shredded paper also often contaminate our recycling.

Bagged recycling is one of the biggest contaminants at recycling facilities and prevents clean materials from being sorted and recycled. This means bagged recycling can end up in landfill.

Plastic bags can become jammed and damage machines at recycling facilities. They also pose a safety risk to staff who sort recycling, as they may conceal sharp objects.

By recycling items loose, more materials can be sorted and processed, enabling them to be turned into new products, such as park benches, egg cartons and cardboard boxes.

City of Ballarat Councillor Mark Harris said a small act like recycling correctly makes a big impact.

“Recyclable products are precious materials – that can be used again and again if they are recycled correctly,” he said.

“Keeping recycling loose is an easy way for residents to ensure their recycling can be turned into new things.”

The City of Ballarat is launching the Small Acts, Big Impact print and radio advertising campaign today, to encourage our community to put their recycling in the bin loose and not in bags.

Small acts make a big impact. To recycle right:

• Give your containers a quick rinse to remove any excess food or liquid
• Put them in your recycling bin loose without the lids
• You can recycle aluminium and steel cans, clean paper and cardboard, plastic containers from your kitchen, bathroom and laundry without the lids
• Plastic recycling numbers 1, 2 and 5 only can be accepted in your recycling bin. All other types must be placed in general waste.

View the complete A-Z waste and recycling guide and find out more at ballarat.vic.gov.au/what-can-i-recycle.