29 October 2026
Sorting our waste into the different kerbside bins can often seem too hard or confusing.
Can a coffee cup go in the recycling bin? Does the triangle symbol with a number in it mean you can recycle it? Can doggy doo go in the green-lid FOGO bin? Can you leave the top on the milk bottle, or do you have to chuck it? Does our recycling really get recycled?
Councils across the Northern Rivers, including Byron Shire Council, are encouraging residents to complete a short survey that will help improve education and information about using kerbside bins correctly. Participants will also go into the draw to win a $100 voucher.
"We want to understand how households with a kerbside bin service manage their waste and recycling at home, including the challenges they face and what would help them recycle more and send less waste to landfill," said Emily Oulton, Council's Resource Recovery Education and Engagement Officer.
"Last year, Byron Shire Council diverted just under 10,000 tonnes from landfill, through our kerbside recycling and green-lid FOGO bins which is a fantastic effort from our community. However, we know there is still room to improve," she said.
Waste audits and Lift the Lid bin checks across the region, highlight that there is still too much food and recycling going into kerbside landfill bins.
"Our recent waste audit showed that nearly half (46%) of material placed in landfill bins could have been recovered through recycling, FOGO or other recovery services," said Ms Oulton.
Your participation in the survey can help us help our community sort our waste better in the future.
Residents are encouraged to complete the short survey to help inform future resource recovery initiatives across the region. Survey responses will remain confidential, and participants will go into the draw to win one of several $100 vouchers, with one winner selected from each council area.
To fill out the survey visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/wheelie_bin
