A sustainable approach
Why recycling systems ought to change
By Makayla Muscat
Which bin? Can I recycle bottle lids? What about soft plastics? When it comes to what can and cannot be recycled it can get very confusing.
In the Blue Mountains, most people are already carefully considering what goes into their council recycling bin, but where does it all go? Even once your recycling goes into the right bin, many recyclable materials become contaminated and sent to landfill.
It is estimated that Australians create 67 million tonnes of waste each year and with the constant confusion surrounding what items can be recycled in your yellow bin at home, systems ought to change. There is a need for clear rules and clearer labelling that allows consumers to know how to recycle the whole product.
In the Blue Mountains, Councillor Romola Hollywood and Shirley Lewis are two people who are trying to change systems and who are advocating for change.
Shirley Lewis (also known as The Bag Lady) is a Blue Mountains writer who is extremely passionate about the environment. Previously Cr Hollywood has collaborated with Lewis to discuss her ‘ASAP — As Sustainably As Possible’ project and the challenges of recycling.
An article in the Blue Mountains Gazette details Lewis’ push for change. As part of her world project, she encourages all Blue Mountains residents to make a commitment to sustainable living. “That means taking more care with what and how residents recycle to reduce to amount of waste to landfill.”
Lewis’s initiative focuses on the power of the individual to collective in the push for change. She challenges schools and organisations to ask themselves “What am I doing that I’m proud of? and What do I need to do better?” and encourages them to take a photo to illustrate their efforts and email her team@futureasap.com.
As a result individuals including MP for Macquarie Susan Templeman are making a pledge to change. She said “she was collecting excess shower water in a bucket to water their plants. She hopes to “do better” by linking their solar panels to a battery.”
“Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”
Blue Mountains Labor Councillor Romola Hollywood explains that how to recycle the whole product is not always straightforward. Cr Hollywood is tackling ‘lid recycling’ to determine what lids need to go in the general waste bin, whether the lid can stay on the bottle to be recycled or needs to be recycled separately.
Recycle: Shirley Lewis (aka the Bag Lady) and Cr Romola Hollywood with a sample of lids that can be recycled. Picture: Blue Mountains Gazette
The Save Our Recycling Campaign seeks for the State Government to reinvest the millions of dollars it collects from the Waste Levy each year into building a circular economy in New South Wales. It is a campaign that the Blue Mountains actively supports. Cr Hollywood has congratulated Local Government NSW for taking the lead on the important issue. “The approach is quite simple: redirect the $727 million that the NSW government collects from the waste levy into local, regional and state-wide recycling and waste reduction initiatives here in NSW,” she said.
Blue Mountains City Council are asking the community to support calls for the NSW Government to come up with a practical, long-term solution to waste management in NSW. Picture: Blue Mountains City Council
I surveyed Blue Mountains residents on recycling behaviour. The results show that reducing landfill is the number one reason why they recycle.
I interviewed Cr Hollywood last week; she said:
“To reduce contamination in the recycled waste streams, it’s really important that people are aware of what can and can’t be recycled so that people know what they can put in their yellow recycling bin at home. It’s also really important that state and national governments work with local councils to implement the circular economy so that less waste goes to landfill, and more packaging and products are fully recyclable.”
Joining forces: Liberal Party deputy mayor Chris van Der Kley (centre) with Labor councillors Romola Hollywood and Don McGregor. Picture: Blue Mountains Gazette
For changes to be made within our local community education is key and requires a multi-pronged approach. It is vital that the importance of recycling is taught to children in schools so young people will become much more familiar with the process of recycling.
The practice and habits of recycling being encouraged in the classroom should also be practiced at home, empowering young people to further educate family and friends, encourage others to participate in reducing waste and live sustainably.
For information on what can and cannot be recycled visit the Blue Mountains City Council website.
In a news.com.au article Steph Bedo investigates what goes into the everyday family’s rubbish bins. She discusses with a family of four what they’re doing wrong, what they’re doing right and what can be done better.
Lots of recyclable goods sit in warehouses or sorting facilities for a long time before they reach a final destination. Picture: ABC News
So, what can we do?
Each small action matters and winning the war on waste requires everybody’s participation.
We can all make small changes and live sustainably.
The following are 5 actionable changes we should all consider adopting to reduce waste:
1. Choose items made from recycled materials
2. Start a compost
3. Take reusable bags shopping
4. Choose items in recyclable packaging
5. Use lightweight net bags for produce
“The truth is the recycling industry can do with your help. As consumers we have a lot of power and we need to start using it. Buying products made from recycled materials will help to build a more sustainable industry around recycling.”
Individual actions lead to a community effort, and when it comes to recycling, the sorting process begins at home. It is vital that people learn about and consider the long-term impact of our waste on the environment.
“Currently we have a green bin which takes garden waste. That’s taken to a central spot out near Blaney and turned into compost,” Cr Hollywood said.
This change is reducing landfill, but you can make a difference at home too. Composting vegetable scraps, citrus peelings, egg shells, tea bags, coffee grindings, wood shavings and grass clippings in addition to utilising your green bin all help reduce landfill.
Planet Ark Recycling Poster. Picture: Planet Ark.
“It’s really important that everybody plays their part in reducing waste by recycling and choosing products that are either made from recyclable materials or can be recycled easily.”