Community
13 November, 2023
Don’t throw it all away
WITH an 11 per cent of Cairns’ recyclables ending up in landfill, Cairns Regional Council is urging the community to keep recycling out of waste with a new campaign launched ahead of National Recycling Week next week.
The campaign – Keep Recycling Out of Waste – is looking to give Cairns’ residents the confidence to make more sustainable choices in their waste disposal as alarming figures indicate that 11 per cent of all materials in kerbside waste bins in Cairns are recyclable, which translates into an additional 9000 tonnes going to landfill yearly.
“We want residents to think twice about throwing recyclable items in the waste bin,” division 1 councillor and vice president of the Local Authority Waste Management Action Committee Brett Moller said.
“It’s all about taking simple and actionable tips that enable everyone to keep those valuable materials in circulation, whether at home, work or school.”
Cr Moller said the council was aiming to reduce those 9000 tonnes in landfill through better community practices.
“Council has a goal of diverting at least 5500 tonnes per annum of recycling from the red lid (or green lid) waste bins to the yellow lid recycle bins,” he said. “Currently, Cairns has a 63 per cent recovery/recycling rate."
For more on better recycling habits visit the council’s website
