The wrong items in the recycling bin are called 'contamination'. The most common contaminants in Moorabool’s bins are:
Recyclables in bags:
Recyclables must be loose in the recycling bin – never in plastic bags. Our recycling facility does not open bags for safety reasons - any bagged recyclable material ends up in landfill.
Nappies, food and green waste:
These items don’t belong in the recycling bin - they contaminate clean recyclables. Your entire bin of recyclables will end up in landfill as a result.
Soft plastics and plastic bags:
These get tangled in the machinery at the sorting facility. They also mix with paper and cardboard meaning less chance of materials being onsold for reprocessing.
Electronic items such as TV’s and computers:
Most of these items are recyclable, but not through your home recycling bin. Take your electronic items to your nearest transfer station
Hazardous items such as batteries and globes:
These items are recyclable, but not through your home recycling bin. Take your household batteries and globes to your nearest transfer station
Dirty or full containers:
Rinse containers before placing them into your recycling bin. Make sure no food or liquids are in bottles or containers. When the truck collects recycling, it compacts all the materials. Any food or liquids will seep into paper and cardboard and contaminate it.
Lids:
Remove lids from plastic bottles and place into your red lidded garbage bin. Steel lids from glass jars can be recycled if collected in a steel can (e.g. baked beans can) and the can squashed closed and put in the recycling bin.