The Recycling Education and Liaison (REAL) Team is assisting local residents and businesses in the Cessnock-Maitland area to recycle right.
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Some residents may have noticed that checks are now being made of the yellow top lid recycling bin prior to collection. These residents may be wondering why this is needed.
It does not take much effort to recycle right.
Each year across Cessnock, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Singleton over 700 tonnes, or 2500 box trailers full, of general waste is incorrectly placed in the recycling bin. Items such as gas cylinders, plate glass, scrap metal and disposable nappies are often found.
Each day hundreds of bins are checked prior to collection, with non-conforming bins identified, tagged and not collected.
The bins are only serviced once the offending product has been removed and only on the following service.
“It does not take much effort to recycle right and it is important that residents do follow the A to Z guide to ensure that their bin is always collected,” Garry Blair Recycling Education Representative for the service said.
“There remains a small percentage of the community who still fail to use the service correctly and place non-accepted items in the bin.
“Some of these items can be hazardous and risk to the staff who hand sort the recycling, We have to ensure their safety through bin inspections and not collecting bins that pose a risk.
“Only 2% of all bins checked contain non-accepted items, but they all add up to one big problem.”
To coincide with Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week the company providing Council’s recycling service, Hunter Resource Recovery, has released data highlighting the great work of residents who recycle right.
Cessnock City Council Statistics:
- Recycled 4967.95 tonnes last year.
- Recycled 79,613 tonnes 1997-2017.
- Greenhouse benefits – equivalent to 9539 cars permanently removed from roads
- Energy savings – equivalent to 6139 homes for a year
- Water savings – equivalent to 23,976 average sized backyard swimming pools
The member councils of Hunter Resource Recovery wish to thank residents for the continued support. Together you have helped to recycle over 500,000 tonnes of product since the service commenced in 1997,
For more information visit www.hrr.com.au or call 1800 83 8884.