This month the **Humanists**
**Australia** **Environment Challenge**
will give you tips and information on
making your recycling choices easier and more effective.

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We Know You Want to Save the World but How Well Are You Doing?

The enormity of climate change and its effects are often overwhelming. We all feel it. Humanists Australia acknowledges a substantial proportion of responsibility and action to be taken sits with governments and corporations, and there is only so much we can do as individuals to address it. It’s easy to feel like our individual efforts are futile in the bigger scheme of things, but it’s useful to keep in mind the immediate environment around us, and the ways we help to keep it clean. Think globally, act locally! Every effort counts and we may even feel empowered in the process.

Despite all our good intentions and an increase in the number of items that we can recycle, we are producing more waste than ever. Although quite a lot is recycled – especially by the building industry – a huge amount of land still has to be set aside for rubbish. It is a worry that a high percentage of all plastic waste (3.8Mt) goes straight to landfill and 4% of this eventually finds its way into the marine environment.

The National Waste Report 2022 shows that for the 2020-21 financial year, Australia produced 75.8 million tonnes of waste including 25.2 Mt of waste building and demolition material, 14.4Mt of organics, 12.0Mt of ash from coal fire power stations, and 7.4Mt of hazardous waste mainly from contaminated soil. It now takes 2.48t of waste per person (not including ash) to allow our society to go about its business as normal.

If you don’t want to add to the mountains of rubbish that end up in landfill each year then recycling as much of your own unwanted items as possible is a must. However, some thought has to go into organising your recycling efforts.

A haphazard approach can result in recycling material being contaminated by items that are not recyclable resulting in loads of otherwise recyclable material going to landfill. Of 1.83Mt of household rubbish intended for recycling, 20% is sent to landfill because it is not recyclable, improperly presented (e.g. inside a plastic bag), too small (e.g. container caps) or damaged (e.g. broken glass). You need to know what items can be recycled, by whom and in what condition. Fortunately, more and more, things can be recycled, but it does require that you sort out your potential rubbish, make sure it is clean, and goes to the right place. Don’t just bung it into the recycling bin and close the lid.

So, what steps can you take?

Only put prepared and acceptable items in your recycling bin

Not everything that is recyclable can go in your recycling bin. Some items have to go through another stream. Usually, household packaging can go in the recycling bin. Check with the requirements for your locality.

See our handy A to Z list of common recyclables.

Recycle plant matter from gardening or food

Whether you live in a small apartment or acreage, there are a number of ways to manage leftover plant matter from food or gardening.

Find out our tips!

Recycle as many plastic items as you can

To recycle successfully you need to know your plastics.

Find out more!

Recycle items you know can’t go into the recycling bin

Drop off items that you don’t want, and which cannot go into the recycling bin, to places that can recycle them. Not sure where?

We can help you find out!