The recycling industry is getting back on its feet with exciting changes on the horizon that will bring lasting benefits to Casey residents and the environment.
Late last year, Casey signed a contract with Cleanaway to accept and process recycling collected through our kerbside service.
Recently, the Victorian Government has also announced sweeping changes to the recycling industry as part of its Recycling Victoria 10-year plan, including a move towards standardised bin colours, the introduction of a glass recycling bin, a container deposit scheme, and funding to support new waste-to-energy initiatives across the State.
These are positive steps towards improving recycling state-wide and we will work with the Victorian Government and the Casey community to determine how and when this may be introduced in our municipality.
There's also plenty that we can all do right now.
Quality not quantity
One of the biggest challenges for our waste team is contamination of recycling caused by the wrong items being put in the recycling bin. A recent audit found that our contamination levels were very high.
Putting incorrect items into the bin leads to higher processing costs and, depending on the extent of the contamination, it could mean other recyclables are unable to get processed and the entire batch has to be sent to landfill.
The top four contaminants of recycling in Casey are:
- Bagged rubbish
- Clothing, textiles, fabrics
- Bagged recycling
- Soft plastics
When deciding what to put in your blue recycling bin, remember there are four main types of material that can be processed:
- Plastic food containers/bottles
- Paper and cardboard
- Metals
- Glass
However, residents should also note that under the new contract with Cleanaway, there are a few items that can no longer be included in your recycle bin including:
- Any milk/juice bottle lids
- Any milk/juice cartons
- Any black plastic (e.g. plastic meat trays)
- Lids off glass bottles and jars (but you can put metal lids in separately).
Head to casey.vic.gov.au and check our Household Waste section for a list of items that should and should not go into each bin. And remember, if in doubt, leave it out.
