GOOD SORT! RESIDENTS RECYCLING MORE THAN THEY THINK

Photos supplied

Good recycling habits are paying off across the Hinchinbrook Shire, with a recent kerbside bin audit showing most material placed in recycling bins is ending up in the right place.  

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The findings, recently reported through Council’s 2025-2026 Waste Services Annual Performance Report, also reveal simple opportunities for residents to recycle even more, reduce waste sent to landfill and make the most of the recycling and recovery programs already available across the Shire.  

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The audit, which sampled households across Ingham, Halifax, Lucinda and Forrest Beach, found more than 80 per cent of material placed in yellow-lid recycling bins was recyclable, with cardboard, paper and glass among the most commonly recycled items.  

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With the recycling contamination rate of just 19.2 per cent, the lowest among councils in the North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils region.

Mayor Ramon Jayo said the results were encouraging and highlighted the positive efforts already being made by the community.

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"More than 80 per cent of what we found in recycling bins was recyclable material, which is a great result and shows residents are making a real effort to recycle correctly," Mayor Jayo said.

"While the audit shows residents are doing a great job with recycling, there are still opportunities to recover more valuable resources.  

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“Every year, more than $220,000 in container refunds goes unclaimed by residents across the Hinchinbrook Shire, with around $130,000 worth of eligible containers ending up in red-lid bins and going straight to landfill instead of being recycled through Containers for Change.”

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Mayor Jayo said one of the easiest ways residents can reduce waste and put money back in their pockets is by taking eligible drink containers to a Containers for Change refund point.  

“It's a fantastic program that rewards recycling, keeps valuable resources out of landfill and supports community groups and charities. Every container returned is a win for both the environment and the community,” Mayor Jayo said.

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While recycling performance was strong, there is still room for improvement. The audit found nearly 14 per cent of material in red-lid bins could have been recycled instead, including paper, cardboard, plastics and glass.  

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Food scraps and garden waste accounted for a further 42 per cent of general waste bin contents.  

Water and Waste Portfolio Councillor Pat Lynch said some of the biggest opportunities to reduce landfill were sitting in household waste bins.

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“Simple actions like recycling cardboard boxes, plastic containers and glass jars, or composting food scraps and garden clippings at home, can make a significant difference,” Cr Lynch said.

The audit also identified common items incorrectly placed in recycling bins, including soft plastics (such as bags and wrappers), textiles, building materials, coffee cups, tissues and electronic waste.  

Mayor Jayo said Council offered a range of recycling and recovery options to help residents dispose of items correctly.

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“From kerbside recycling and Containers for Change to battery recycling, e-waste disposal and home composting, there are plenty of opportunities to keep valuable resources out of landfill,” Mayor Jayo said.

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The audit found e-waste and products containing embedded batteries were still ending up in household bins.  

Items with embedded batteries, such as toys, power tools, rechargeable appliances, vapes and mobile phones, should never go in household bins as they can pose a fire risk during collection and processing.

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These items can be disposed of at designated battery recycling bins located at Council’s Main Office or Council’s Resource Recovery Centres at Halifax and Warrens Hill.

To help residents recycle with confidence, Council is encouraging the community to download the free Recycle Mate app.

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Cr Lynch said Recycle Mate takes the guesswork out of recycling.  

“If you're unsure where an item belongs, simply search for it in the app and it will tell you exactly how to dispose of it,” Cr Lynch said.

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The audit found the average household generated around 10kg of general waste and 2.5kg of recycling each week.  

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Residents can download Recycle Mate free from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and find more information about Council's waste, recycling and resource recovery programs on Council's website.  

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For those wanting to recycle more and waste less, the audit shows even small changes at home can make a significant difference.

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