Recycling Myths

‘It doesn’t matter what I put in my recycling bin because it all ends up in landfill.’

False. Your recycling is collected by a dedicated fleet of recycling trucks and taken to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF). Council collects tonnes of paper, cardboard, plastic and metals from households each year. These materials are sorted and prepared for processing into new products and packaging.

‘The triangle symbol means it can be recycled.’

Not always. The triangle recycling symbol can mean that the product is made from recycled content or that it is recyclable. 

The plastic identification code (triangle symbol made from arrows with a number in the middle) indicates the type of plastic that the item is made from. Not all of these plastics can be recycled, and some may require specialist recycling. Materials such as polystyrene display this symbol but can’t be placed into your recycling bin (yellow lid). 

Always check the list of accepted items before placing in your recycling bin.
 

‘I have to wash all my recycling before I put it in the bin.’

False. Rinsing helps to minimise odours in your bin and keep other materials clean, however, there is no need to spend lots of time and water washing your recycling throughly. As long as your recycling is empty of food and liquid, it can go straight in your recycling bin.