Did you know that the average Australian produces 2.7 tonnes of waste per year? National Recycling Week promotes a better understanding of what recycling means beyond the bin and provides strategies to improve your environmental footprint. In support of Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week (9th-15th November 2020), we thought we would take this opportunity to […]
Did you know that the average Australian produces 2.7 tonnes of waste per year?
National Recycling Week promotes a better understanding of what recycling means beyond the bin and provides strategies to improve your environmental footprint. In support of Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week (9th-15th November 2020), we thought we would take this opportunity to give you three of our top tips for effective recycling!
First… Reuse and Repurpose
While recycling provides significant benefits to the environment, it also requires a lot of energy and resources to do so. Reusing or repurposing waste and unwanted goods should be our first thought when promoting principles of a circular economy. When adopting ‘reuse and repurpose’ practices into our behaviour, it makes us more conscious of the waste we are creating and encourages us to be more accountable for our environmental actions.
So, what can you do?
1. Purchase pre-loved items such as cars or electronic products to conserve resources and minimize the waste that ends up in landfill.
2. Reuse and repurpose plastic bags and soft plastics in over 1,850+ REDCycle bins, which can be found in supermarkets Australia wide. These will then be repurposed into recycled plastic products such as benches, decking and signage.
3. ‘Upcycle’ unwanted goods! It’s not only a great way to get creative but also a whole lot of fun! Transform old newspapers into eye catching artwork or reuse old jars for smaller food storage.
Check It Before You Chuck It!
With so many different recycling labels out there, it is important to recognise and understand how to dispose of items correctly. Luckily, more organisations are using the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) framework on their packaging to give end users clearer direction for correct disposal. Educate yourself by using the below image to help familiarize the recycling symbols.
So, how can you make a change?
1. Create awareness by taking part in the ARL weekly challenge, #CheckIt Tuesdays, and share a post on social media as you correctly recycle packaging using the ARL guidelines.
2. Ask yourself, can this be recycled through REDcycle? Learn more about what can be REDcycled here.
3. Remember to consider whether the entire packaging can be recycled. Can both the lid and the bottle be recycled? Check It Before You Chuck It!
Say No to ‘Wish-Cycling’
‘Wish-Cycling’ is the process of putting items into the recycling bin hoping they are recyclable. When items are recycled incorrectly, it can cause contamination and make the recycling process impossible; even forcing loads of recyclables to landfill. APCO claims that 58% of the plastic that is put into the wrong bin ends up in landfill, with most of this waste having the ability to be reused or recycled in many other ways. If you are ever in doubt, leave it out!
How to say no to ‘Wish-Cycling’:
1. Check out your local council’s website to find out the items your community waste organisation accepts.
2. Familiarise yourself with general materials that are and are not recyclable.
3. However, the best way to stop Wish-Cycling is to reduce the amount of waste you generate in the first place!
At Sancell, we manufacturer under an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and continuously endeavour to minimise our impact on the environment by making positive changes to our recycling processes. We recycle up to 80% of our LDPE waste using our own in-house recycling machinery, with the remaining 20% recycled externally. Many of our products including Armour Padded Mailer Bags and Thermal Liners are made using a minimum of 20% recycled content and are 100% recyclable through REDcycle bins. Read more about our Environmental Management system here.
Resources:
https://recyclingnearyou.com.au
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-02/forget-recycling-we-need-to-fix-wish-cycling/10829542