How to be an expert tosser: know when to recycle and when to chuck it out

Recycling can feel daunting. Even for those of us passionate about making sure household items go into the correct bin, wrapping your head around all the little “rules” can be intimidating. There’s the worry that if you get it wrong the entire batch will be thrown out, and there can be doubts over what to do with things such as aluminium foil or bottle caps.
But now there’s hope the recent reemergence of soft plastic recycling in Australia will spark more people to dispose of recyclables correctly. For those who feel time-poor, confused about what is recyclable or wish others would recycle better, I’ve gathered some expert tools and tips designed to improve the chances that plastics, cans, bottles and other items don’t wind up in a landfill.
The Australasian Recycling Label on the back of a product usually confirms whether it’s recyclable yet doubts often persist about some items.
Lottie Dalziel, a sustainability expert and founder of the social enterprise Banish, has devoted her life to helping people become better at recycling.
She urges people to consider the “credit card rule” when unsure or dealing with mixed materials: items made of recyclable materials (eg hard plastic, non-lined cardboard) are recyclable if they are larger than a credit card. If they are any smaller they can contaminate a batch during processing. (You can roll foil into a ball until it’s large enough.)
“My biggest piece of advice for people is ‘if in doubt throw it out’,” says Dalziel. “You actually do more harm than good putting something you’re not entirely sure of in your recycling bin.”
Banish also has a recycling and disposal program called Brad for those random household items you aren’t sure about (plastic bread bag closures, bottle top lids, toothpaste tubes) and they will upcycle them into useful (and cute) objects such as colourful pens or bowls.
Sustainability requires time, but there are ways to improve efficiency around recycling.
RecycleSmart is a company offering two options to help time-poor people deal with recyclables. Their app offers a guide to the best disposal method for each item while their Power Pickup service (which operates in most capital cities) takes it one step further: you can book online in advance for RecycleSmart to collect items right from your doorstep. You don’t even need to be home on pickup day.
“Recycling doesn’t matter, it doesn’t make an impact.” Have you had these thoughts or come across these excuses before?
The environmental organisation Clean Up Australia focuses on the positive impact recycling can have. “If we get it right at the kerbside bin and put the right things in and keep unrecyclable items out, they do get recycled,” says the organisation’s chair, Pip Kiernan.
They recommend the Recycle Mate app, which “allows you to scan any item using your phone camera and advises you what to do with it, based on where you are located and the rules for that area”, Kiernan says. The Recycle Mate app is particularly useful “for those more confusing items like sports shoes, blister packs, paint, electronics etc”, she says.
Kiernan is also a fan of the Greenius website tool, which tells you what can go in the recycling bin depending on where you live. Greenius also offers games and activities for kids to make recycling fun.
And there’s one other place recycling can make an impact: your wallet.
“Every state and territory in Australia with the exception of Tassie, which is due to launch later this year, has its own Container Deposit Scheme where you can exchange containers for a 10c refund,” Kiernan says.
You’re having coffee at a friend’s house and they casually toss a recyclable milk container into their rubbish bin. You would never have guessed this person doesn’t recycle. What do you say without offending?
According to Dalziel, “One of the most important things is to create a supportive environment. You don’t want to scare your friends into inaction.”
With a recycling-hesitant housemate, Dalziel found it worked to have a “?” box. “If I wasn’t around they’d put items into the box and I would sort it out myself.”
If she ran into the housemate later, they could have a chat about it – but a friendly one. “It’s not about pointing out everything that someone is doing wrong but it’s about providing small and simple tips on how to recycle better,” adds Dalziel.
If your workplace is tossing recyclables, perhaps they would be interested in EcoBins – attractive, colour-coded recycling bins made from recycled polypropylene for workplaces, specifically designed to help busy people figure out what goes where.
Kiernan echoes the importance of sharing advice in a non-aggressive way: “We know from research that over 90% of Australians believe recycling is important,” she says.
“Most people are receptive to making changes to ensure more of their waste gets recycled. Share your simple tips, reassure them that recycling is happening and that we can all help boost recycling and give materials a second life, rather than ending up in landfill.”