Recycle Right

How to recycle right

Recycling right keeps valuable resources out of landfill so that they can be used again and again.

To learn what goes in each bin, visit our webpages for:

   

• mixed recycling bins (yellow lid) 
• glass recycling bins (purple lid)
• food and garden organics bins (green lid) and
• general rubbish bins (red or dark green lid).

To find out how to recycle, reuse or safely dispose of a wide range of common household items:

• Download a “What goes in each bin” poster
• Use our online A to Z guide to waste and recycling
• Watch the video below

• Why is it important to use your bins correctly?

  By putting the right items in the right bin, you are helping to make new products like glass jars, cardboard boxes and compost.

  When we put the right items in our bins, we help ensure that they can be recycled or composted.

  Putting incorrect items in your recycling bin is called contamination. For example, a glass bottle in a mixed recycling bin is contamination. Contamination makes it harder to turn your recycling into new things.

  Only putting correct items in your bin helps to keep workers and the public safe. Incorrect items need to be removed by hand at sorting facilities. This can put workers at risk of injury.

  Some items, such as batteries and electronic items, can be hazardous. Putting these items in your bin could cause smouldering or fires in the collection truck, at sorting facilities or in landfill which could put workers, and the public at risk as well as pollute our environment. 

  Putting incorrect and hazardous items in your bin can also make the cost of managing waste and recycling more expensive as they can cause work stoppages as well as damage to machinery and facilities. 

• What happens to my waste and recycling?
  • Your mixed recycling goes to Visy Recycling’s materials recovery facility in Heidelberg. It is separated and sorted into different material types like plastic, cardboard and metal. This is processed and used to make new products.
  • Your food and garden organics goes to Veolia’s composting facility in Bulla. It is processed into compost and soil enhancers and used by Victorian farmers to grow our food.
  • Your glass recycling goes to Visy Recycling’s glass beneficiation plant in Laverton. It is cleaned, sorted by colour and prepared for processing so it can be used to make new glass bottles and jars.
  • Your general rubbish is sent to the Melbourne Regional Landfill in Ravenhall.

What is contamination in my bins?

Contamination is when you put incorrect items in your bin.

For example, a glass bottle in a mixed reycling bin is contamination.

What is the Recycle Right Program?

Recycle Right Program is the new name for our Bin Inspection Program. Using your bins correctly is a simple way to look after the environment for you, your family and future generations.

Our Recycle Right Program gives feedback to residents on how to recycle and use their bins correctly. Recycle Right is an education bin tagging program which aims to help you:

• Increase your recycling knowledge
• Reduce contamination
• Keep the people who sort our waste safe.