Consider end-of-life disposal

Before sending anything to landfill consider whether it can be reused or recycled. This mindset will set us all on the path of living more lightly – and can apply to everything from home and business consumables to food and fashion!

Plastics and packaging

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water are aiming for 100% of Australian packaging to be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025. Please visit:
https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste

Home composting

Compostable bags should be filled with organic materials (like food scraps and green waste) and placed in your home compost pile to become nutrients for your garden. See the SA Department for Environment’s beginners guide to composting: https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/goodliving/posts/2019/05/guide-to-composting

Compostable household waste includes: vegetable and fruit scraps, grass clippings, leaves, coffee grounds, paper and cardboard (uncoated), crushed egg shells, pasta/rice, breads, nuts, seaweed, popcorn, toothpicks, bamboo skewers, tissues, nail clippings, cotton balls, dryer lint, hair, pencil shavings, flowers, droppings from herbivorous pets.

Industrial composting

There are around 150 commercial composting facilities in Australia. Some councils provide composting facilities through kerbside organic waste collection. Contact your local council or the Australian Organics Recycling Association to find the nearest industrial composting facility.

Soft plastic recycling

There are limited options for soft plastic recycling in Australia. The best action you can take is to minimise your use of soft plastics (or chose compostable alternatives). Visit Clean Up Australia for more info about the now ceased REDcycled program: https://www.cleanup.org.au/softplasticsrecycling