Australians have established a good reputation when it comes to recycling. It’s been found that 51% of household waste gets recycled in this country. This is actually on par with the recycling rates of northern European countries. Amongst the appeals of recycling is that it is a win-win situation. Not only are you helping conserve the planet, but you’re also clearing out clutter from your life.
8 recyclable household items
To help inspire you to start recycling, here are a few household items that you should recycle.
1. Unused medicines
Do you have unused or unwanted medicines accumulating dust at the back of your medicine cabinet? Bring them out and return them to your local pharmacist. What’s more is you can actually return them for free! They will make sure the medicines are properly disposed of and do not end up in the environment where they don’t belong. You’re not only helping nature, you’re also avoiding any accidental ingestion in the future.
2. Metal containers
When disposing of tin cans, make sure to put the metal lid inside the can where possible. Don’t forget to pinch the sides to make sure that the lid stays inside. Place the container in your yellow bin. You can also rinse and dry other metal containers before dropping them into your recycling bin.
3. Shampoo and conditioner bottles
Before throwing your shampoo and conditioner bottles into the recycling bin, make sure to empty them of all contents and rinse thoroughly.
4. Batteries
Whether you need to dispose old car batteries or household batteries, there are several drop off locations available. Check out this page to find a drop off point near you. Be mindful of disposing batteries as they are harmful both to your health and to the environment.
5. Wine corks
While beer is the nation’s favourite drink, a glass of wine comes in second. However, less than 5% of cork stoppers are being recycled. What’s great about cork is that it is natural and biodegradable. It can be recycled and turned into different types of products e.g., coasters, cork boards, flooring, and mats. Cork recycling programs are common in Australia so check if there’s one near you. Another option is to use them as garden mulch. You simply grind them up and thrown them into your compost.
6. Milk and juice cartons
Milk, juice, and even soup cartons are recycled in the processing facility by swirling them in water. This step helps to separate the cardboard from the plastic and the aluminium. So yes, these items can still be recycled even if these are made of various materials bonded together.
7. Books
You can still recycle books if they are damaged. Just make sure to separate the paper from the spines and break them down into smaller pieces.
8. Coffee cups
Consider using a reusable cup for your coffee to lessen your waste. But if it cannot be avoided, you can still recycle your used coffee cup lids. Remove the lid from the cup and wash it before throwing it into the recycle bin. Note that the cup itself cannot be recycled because of its waterproof plastic lining. The cup goes straight to the red bin.
Contact Newcastle Skips for quality skip bin hire
Newcastle Skip Bins can help you in your recycling journey. Just make sure to clearly identify your intended waste type so we can recommend the perfect skip bin hire for you. Newcastle Skip rental has a wide range of skip bins that will suit your needs.
From mini skip bins that are great for quick clean ups of all types of wastes to industrial grade walk in skip bins for large scale commercial jobs, Newcastle Skip Bins can help you pick. Just keep scrolling on our website or call 0405 490 000 for a free quote.
