‘Know Before You Throw’ to reduce landfill

On the eve of Global Recycling Day, Cairns Regional Council has launched a new waste education campaign designed to help residents know more about what goes in each bin and reduce the confusion that leads to increased waste to landfill.

Know Before You Throw is a simple way to reference the tools, information and practical tips that will help residents to quickly check where items belong before they bin them.

Cairns Mayor Eden said the community had already been waste conscious but gave feedback that actions to recycle, reduce and reuse needed to be easier.

"We want to make waste and recycling easier to understand. We need an ongoing conversation and simple, routine actions that will help our community know what materials and packaging go to waste and what can be recycled," Cr Eden said.

“Cairns residents care about keeping our city clean and protecting our natural environment.

“They told us they needed straightforward, practical guidance. Know Before You Throw is our answer to that."

Council's audits show that around 11 per cent of recyclable material is still ending up in general waste bins.

That means more than 5,000 tonnes of recycling is being thrown in the wrong bin and ending up in landfill each year. That equates to more than 330 garbage truck loads.

Community research found that residents consistently rated recycling as highly important, but their confidence in doing it correctly was low.

Nearly half admitted to placing items in the wrong bin simply because they weren't sure where they belonged.

“The barrier isn't a lack of care; it's uncertainty and that's exactly what Know Before You Throw is designed to fix,” Cr Eden said.

"Our residents already want to do the right thing, and we will be doing more to help them. When we know more about what goes in each bin, we waste less, and small actions at home can have a big impact across the region."

Know Before You Throw launches on Global Recycling Day, Wednesday 18 March and will roll out across Cairns over the coming months.