Did you know ...?

Each of us generates about 3kg of waste each day. How it is thrown away has a big impact on our environment. On average, we use 500L of water per person per day! That puts a lot of stress on our water supply. See Our Cairns Water website for more information.

Reduce

• Purchase items that can be used more than once
  For example: refillable laundry containers
• Purchase items with less packaging
• Buy in bulk whenever practical
• Use a calico or string bag instead of a plastic bag
• Start a compost bin
• Be waterwise in your home and garden by changing wasteful habits
• Use a computer - many newspapers and magazines are online
• Save energy by turning off lights that you are not using
• Further information on being waterwise in your home and garden

Reuse

Many everyday items can be used more than once. Before throwing away sacks, containers, clothing and other items, consider how they can be reused. If you can't reuse them, maybe others can.

• Donations of used items are happily accepted by many charities.
• Take old magazines to the local doctor/dentist surgery for others to read in the waiting rooms.
• Bring cloth sacks to the store instead of taking home new plastic bags.
• Plastic containers and reuseable lunch bags are great ways to take lunch to school/work

Recycle - Did you know ...?

• Aluminium cans are 95% recyclable and recycling a can uses only 5% of the energy required to manufacture a new can from natural resources.
• Milk and juice cartons are turned into photocopy paper.
• Recycled plastic milk containers and soft drink bottles are made into new milk and drink bottles.
• Plastic Bags can be recycled by dropping them off at major supermarkets. Look for a collection bin near the check out area.
• Find out what can and cannot be recycled.

Recycling Rules

1. Rinse all steel and aluminium cans before placing them in "Bindy" the yellow lid recycling bin

2. Crush aluminium cans before putting them in.

3. Only put metal cans, aluminium foil and aerosol cans in the recycling bin. All other metals should be taken to the transfer station. Please make sure your aerosol can is empty.

4. Remove all lids from plastic and glass containers and bottles.

5. For plastics: Look for the recycling triangles 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 on your plastic bottles, containers and jars. The symbols are stamped on the bottom of most containers. These plastics are recycled in Cairns.

6. Please Please Please: NO - window glass,blue glass, broken glass, ceramics, crockery, light bulbs, mirrors, pyrex (ie. casserole dishes), building materials, plastic bags, disposable nappies, garden waste, food scraps, syringes waxed cardboard (ie. juice or cream milk cartons) in the yellow lid recycling bin.

In Cairns, there are several waste transfer stations where recyclables can be dropped off free of charge. (Please note: it's free of charge if you have a car load of recycling only. If you have a mixed load of recycling and garbage a fee will be charged.)

• Information on Cairns Water's waste transfer stations

The Buy Back Shop

Check out Cairns' Buy Back Shop for recycled household items, timber and everything else including the kitchen sink! You'll be amazed at what you can find.

Find out more about the Buy Back Shop and what's available at Portsmith Transfer Station Open Thursday to Sunday from 8:30am - 5:30pm.