Residents are encouraged to discover practical and creative ways to reduce waste and recycle more through the current Waste to Art Exhibition on display in the Coventry Room at the Parkes Shire Library and Cultural Centre until 20 June.
The exhibition not only celebrates artworks created from discarded materials but also highlights a range of recycling and waste disposal options available across the Parkes Shire.
A variety of recycling collection points are available within the Parkes Shire Library, including a MobileMuster bin for old mobile phones (including cords), a Dental Recycling Bin for toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and floss containers, and the popular Brad Bin, which accepts a wide range of hard-to-recycle items.
Items accepted through the Brad Bin include eyeglasses, sunglasses, plastic bottle tops, blister and Webster packs, plastic makeup containers, pump packs, soap dispensers, coffee cups and lids, bread tags, soy sauce fish, pens, highlighters, markers, and empty correction fluid pots and tape. A second Brad Bin is also available at the Parkes Uniting Church.
The exhibition also shines a spotlight on the Parkes Community Recycling Centre (CRC), located at the Parkes Waste Facility. The CRC provides a free drop-off service for household quantities of problem and hazardous waste that cannot be disposed of through kerbside collections.
Residents can safely dispose of up to 20 kilograms or 20 litres of materials including household and car batteries, paint and paint tins, smoke alarms, light globes and fluorescent tubes, motor and cooking oils, gas bottles, gas cylinders and fire extinguishers. These items are regularly collected by the EPA for safe disposal.
Parkes Shire Council Waste Management Coordinator, Sharyn Ware, said the CRC remains an important but often underutilised community resource.
"A survey of local residents in 2025 showed that many people were unaware of the CRC or unsure about what items could be taken there," Ms Ware said.
"It was encouraging to see that 85 per cent of respondents said recycling was very important to their family, and we hope this exhibition helps residents learn more about the recycling options available to them."
Additional recycling programs available locally include soft toy recycling at Big W, printer cartridge recycling through Australia Post, and battery recycling at Coles, Aldi and Supacheap Auto.
Residents can also take advantage of the Return and Earn stations located in the Woolworths and Parkes RSL car parks, which operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As part of the exhibition, Parkes Shire Library are giving away one Return and Earn bag per family while stocks last.
The exhibition also highlights safe disposal options for hazardous items that cannot be recycled. Unwanted medicines can be returned to local pharmacies, while used sharps and needles can be safely disposed of through free sharps containers available from Ron Dunford Chemist and Parkes Pharmacy. Council funds the collection and disposal of these containers once full.
Council's waste partner, NetWaste, will also host a free Household Chemical CleanOut event at the Bogan Gate Landfill on Friday, 11 September from 1.30pm to 4.30pm, providing residents with an opportunity to safely dispose of hazardous chemicals, including farm chemicals.
The exhibition comes at a timely reminder for residents preparing for Council's annual bulky waste collection, which runs from 15 to 26 June.
"This is a great opportunity to clear out unwanted items that have been taking up space around the home," Ms Ware said.
"Residents should place items on the kerb in three separate piles consisting of metal and e-waste, mattresses, and bulky household goods. Green waste, plastic bags, domestic rubbish, tyres and hazardous waste will not be accepted."
Ms Ware also reminded residents that all scrap metal, whitegoods, e-waste and electrical items with a cord can be disposed of free of charge at Council's waste facilities year-round.
The Waste to Art Exhibition is open daily at the Parkes Shire Library and Cultural Centre until Friday, 20 June. Residents are encouraged to visit, view the artworks and discover simple ways to reduce waste, recycle more and keep valuable materials out of landfill.
