Recycle Right
Our recycling efforts in north Queensland can help improve and sustain our environment. The less waste we send to landfill means a cleaner and greener future for us all. We are working with neighbouring local Councils including Tablelands Regional Council and Douglas Shire Council to keep improving our efforts and create a cleaner and greener north Queensland.
By recycling right, we can increase resource recovery, reduce waste going to landfill and create a more sustainable Cairns region.
Check out our tips below to help you recycle right!
Only recycle:
- Hard plastic bottles and containers
- Steel and aluminium cans
- Glass bottles and jars
- Paper and cardboard
Hint: view further information about our waste services.
No soft plastics or wrapping, this includes:
- All plastics bags (bio-degradable or compostable)
- Plastic film
- Chip packets
- Bread bags
Hint: consider the 'poke test'. If you can push your finger through it, then the plastic is too soft to be recycled. Soft, flimsy plastic gets tangled in the sorting machinery, causing expensive damage and extensive delays. Avoid plastic bags altogether by using your own reusable bags when shopping, use reusable containers and beeswax wrappers rather than cling wrap for lunches. Soft plastics can also be returned to participating supermarkets in the Cairns region.
Don’t place anything smaller than a credit card into your recycling bin, this includes:
- All lids and caps
- Bread tags
- Coffee pods
- Ring pulls
Hint: if the item is too small to go through the sorting equipment, it can get jammed in the machinery and shut down operations for extensive periods of time. Items smaller than a credit card can be placed in your red lid waste bin.
Keep it safe for our Materials Recovery Faciltiy (MRF) workers and machines, which means nothing hazardous that can harm our workers or anything that can damage the machines.
Keep out gas bottles, car batteries, strapping line, hoses, netting, wires, building materials, oil, paint, chemicals and other hazardous materials.
Hint: view further information about materials accepted at Cairns Regional Council transfer stations.
Keep it clean by rinsing or wiping out your containers of any excess food, drink etc.
- No food scraps
- No nappies
- No soiled paper, cardboard
- No general waste
Hint: view our list of correct items for the yellow lid recycling bin.
Place your recyclables loose into your recycling bin.
Don’t bag or box your recyclables.
Hint: have a designated recycling bin in the kitchen and bathroom to keep your recycling loose.
Last Updated: 30 November 2022
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