Australians throw out a staggering amount of rubbish each year. A lot of the things you throw out in your weekly rubbish can be recycled. There are many items that you may not know how to recycle.
Fortunately, Waste Management Service providers offer invaluable expertise and resources to streamline the recycling process. By leveraging their knowledge and infrastructure, individuals can contribute to reducing landfill waste and promoting sustainability in their communities.
In addition to recycling, addressing larger items and bulk waste poses another challenge in waste management. Many households and businesses struggle with the disposal of bulky items such as old furniture, appliances, or construction debris.
This is where junk removal service provides a convenient solution to this issue. By partnering with reputable junk removal services, individuals can efficiently declutter their spaces and dispose of unwanted items responsibly. These services employ trained professionals who are equipped to handle various types of waste, ensuring that items are disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
Keep reading to find out how to effectively recycle all of the things that you most likely throw away.
Used Coffee Pods
Many florists will accept coffee pod donations. There are also companies that offer coffee pod recycling services such as “Recycling Near You”. You can purchase a paid postage envelope for $1.90. These envelopes will hold 130 coffee pods. These can be posted at any Australia post office box.
Brands they accept include:
- NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Capsules and a paid program for other pods
- L’OR & Moccona coffee capsules
- EXPRESSI® capsules
Coffee Grounds
If you have a machine that grinds coffee beans and a garden that uses acidic soil, you can use your recycled coffee grounds. This can include flowers like hydrangeas and azaleas. This can also be helpful for giving extra nitrogen to your plants.
Unwanted Computers
There’s a huge amount of recyclable or reusable materials in computers, that will not break down in landfill. There are many not for profit organizations that offer free computer recycling services. These companies include:
This is definitely worthwhile. Just remember to wipe your hard drive first (or remove it).
Unwanted Glasses
The kind you wear on your face. These can be recycled. Many of the parts within glasses are recyclable. Most optometrists should be affiliated with some kind of program to help recycle your old pairs. This may also include charities such as Lions Australia who send your old glasses to people in developing countries. As someone who wears glasses most of the time.
Video Game Discs, DVDs and CDs
Anything in disc form is very easy to scratch and will stop working if not stored properly. Many people throw discs out in their regular rubbish but something you may not know is that they can be recycled to make other electronics. Many of the organizations that accept computer donations will accept discs. It is worth keeping a box or disc spindle around to build up a collection of old discs in order to get enough to justify the trip to the recycling centre.
If you have CDs, DVDs or video games that still work, take them to your local op shop as a donation, or pawnbroker if you want to make a couple of dollars.
Old Carpet
Some carpet manufacturers have carpet recycling schemes, and there are facilities around the world that actively recycle carpet. You might need to do some research on this.
Dead Batteries
Most household batteries can be recycled. This includes the regular single-use ones and the rechargeable ones. I know getting rid of a rechargeable battery sounds weird, but some don’t hold their charge forever and become redundant. For all of your expired batteries, you should consider keeping a container in our at hand to store old batteries until you have enough to recycle.
Cardboard boxes
Whilst these can be recycled with your fortnightly council recycling bins, It never hurts to keep some of these handy for storage. Or you can keep these for if you are planning to move house. There are also companies that will repurpose these.
Old Clothes
If the clothes are still wearable (not full of stains or holes), they can be donated to OP Shops or be put out in charity bags that can be collected from outside your house.
If you have clothing that you cannot donate there are many textile recycling organizations. Major clothing companies such as H&M and Zara offer free textile recycling services.
Fluorescent light bulbs
Instead of disposing of these there are companies such as Ikea that will allow you to donate your expired lightbulbs.
Old Mobile Phones
Mobile phones can be recycled at various centres.
Some electronic stores have designated bins for donating these.
There are also companies that will buy your old phones (if they’re still modern enough). The prices they pay can vary
