Rural WA town embraces recycling

Mundijong, in rural Western Australia, is embracing new away from home recycling. The initiative, which is expected to divert more than 10 t of beverage containers from landfill annually (equivalent to more than 400,000 small plastic drink bottles), is a partnership between the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s Packaging Stewardship Forum and the Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire.

The recycling bins are an integral part of a redesign of the town centre currently in progress. Six new permanent waste and recycling bin stations have been installed on Paterson Street, alongside Mundijong Railway Park, each carrying the national call to action to recycle: “Do the right thing, use the right bin”.

Shire President Bruce Moore said the new recycling stations in Mundijong are a great initiative, from the Packaging Stewardship Forum, to not only improve levels of recycling in the community, but to also reduce levels of litter.

“Many things we throw away, such as glass bottles, PET containers and aluminium cans, do not belong in landfill so these new recycling stations make it easy for both residents and visitors to do the right thing and recycle where possible,” said Cr Moore.

PSF General Manager Jenny Pickles congratulated Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire on its commitment to environmental sustainability:

“Our research has shown that people want to be able to recycle ‘away from home’, just as they are already doing at home.

“The new recycling systems in Mundijong are a great example of the types of proactive programs the beverage industry is undertaking to address the issue of packaging product stewardship,” she said.