Tackling bin contamination

Published on 28 October 2024

Our recent audit of bins showed that 28% of the average recycling bin is contamination. That means recyclable or compostable waste is sent to landfill, which costs us all more.

Common contaminants in recycling bins include bagged waste (full of either recyclables or general waste), soft plastics and textiles.

Almost 5% of our FOGO (food organics, garden organics) stream is contaminated, mostly by bagged waste.

Remember, don’t use bags or liners in your FOGO – not even compostable liners.

Contamination makes the bin collection service more expensive for residents and ratepayers because of the cost of removing contamination and sending it to landfill. To help tackle this issue, we are updating our bins with electronic serial numbers.

By identifying contaminated bins, we can provide targeted education and support to households to improve waste sorting practices and make sure more gets recycled.