2013 Waste Guide - Brimbank City Council

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Brimbank Gems14Recycle right and you could be rewardedThe Brimbank Gems campaign was introduced to encourageresidents to recycle right and reduce contamination in our recycling.Part of the program involves bin inspectorslooking in recycling bins. Residents that arefound to be doing the right thing are rewarded edwith a sticker on their bin and a certificate intheir letterbox.Residents that need a littlehelp have a card placed intheir letterbox explainingwhat can and can’t berecycled.Start practising good habitsnow and keep an eye out forthe next Brimbank Gems campaign.How to recycle rightOnly items from the ‘yes’ list on page 6 can go into your recycling binKeep recycling bins free of plastic bagsDon’t bag recyclables. Leave all material loose in the binPut your bin out on time, on the right dayFrequently asked questionsCan I put plastic bags into my recycling bin?NO. Plastic bags can’t go in your recycling bin. Make sure you empty any recyclables out of plastic bags andthen put the plastic bag in your garbage bin or take back to your local supermarket for recycling there.Polystyrene has a recycling triangle on it. Can I put it in my recycling bin?NO. Polystyrene can’t be recycled in your Council recycling bin. All types of polystyrene including foammeat trays, drink cups and polystyrene balls need to go in your garbage bin.What about plastic bags that have a recycle symbol on them?Plastic bags can’t be recycled through the Council recycling bins even if they have a recycling symbol onthem, are reusable bags or biodegradable bags. Place them in your garbage bin or take them to your localsupermarket where they can be recycled.No plastic bags of any kind!Does it really matter if I put one plastic bag in my recycling bin?Yes it does! Plastic bags get tangled up in the sorting machines at the Recycling Facility and cost timeand money to remove. Putting plastic bags in the garbage bin is the best thing you can do.It’s not just plastic shopping bags that cause problems, any type of plastic that is scrunchable like gladwrap and bread bags will cause damage.What about plastic that covers a cardboard tray?To recycle the cardboard you need to remove the plastic and place it in your garbage bin. If the plasticstays on the cardboard it will get pulled from the conveyor belts and it will end up in landfill and wasteyour effort.If you aren’t sure if a plastic is recyclable check the A to Z guide on page 18 or contact Council.I thought clothing and toys were recyclable?They are, but not in your Council recycling bin. Good quality clothing, toys, manchester and otherhousehold goods are welcome donations for many charities, but they can’t be sorted at our RecyclingFacility. If they are no good for charity, they can go into your household garbage bin.Take unwanted toys to an op shop.Our A to Z Guide on page 18gives more information onwhat to do with items thatcan’t go into your recycling bin.15
16Composting and worm farming aresimilar. Both break down organic waste,create nutrients to help your gardengrow well and can help reduce theamount of waste in your garbage bin.COUNCIL SELLScompost binsand worm farmsat a discount.Do youhave agarden?YESCOMPOST BINTakes food scrapsplus garden clippings.The ‘humus’ can goback on the garden.Why compost?• Create free, nutrient rich food for your garden• Help soil retain moisture/water• Reduce your waste — by more than 50%• Grow large bait worms in a worm farm• Save money by buying less fertilisers andwatering your garden less often.NODo youhave abalcony/courtyard?NOYESWORM FARMWorms eat foodscraps, paper andcardboard. They needmore attention thana compost bin.INDOOR COMPOSTERBokashi usesmicrobes to ‘pickle’food scraps. It isodour free and thepickled scraps canbe buried in a smallgarden bed.In the kitchenWhen you have a compost bin or worm farm, you will need a kitchen compost bucket to keep yourcomposting ingredients separate from other kitchen waste.A large ice cream container that has been rinsedout makes a great kitchen compost bucket.You can line your kitchen compost bucket with newspaper or a bag,but remember to empty only the food scraps into the compost binor worm farm — dispose of the bag or newspaper separately.Your kitchen bucket should have a sealable lid to prevent it gettingsmelly and to keep insects out.This information is from Council’s home composting pocket guide.Contact Customer Service on 9249 4000 for a copy of the guide.Fill it with ‘compost friendly’kitchen scraps.Feed your worms• Chop food as small aspossible.• Feed them scraps in smallamounts.• Let the worms finish themeal before adding more.• Cover new food with someof the bedding material.Empty the contents into yourcompost bin or worm farm.17
Page 1 and 2: Contact usTelephone: 9249 4000Email
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2013 Waste Guide - Brimbank City Council

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