National Recycling Week 2023: what goes around, comes around

Published on 15 November 2023

Cowra residents encouraged to keep valuable resources out of landfill Cowra Shire Council and Planet Ark are reminding Cowra residents that much of what we currently send to landfill is actually valuable material that could be reused, repurposed or recycled as part of National Recycling Week 2023. This year’s theme “What goes around, comes around” is all about providing simple and actionable tips that enable Australians to keep those valuable materials in circulation, whether at home, work or school.

Running from November 13-19, National Recycling Week provides an opportunity for Cowra residents and workplaces to learn simple methods of reducing their environmental footprint and preventing waste. Residents can host or join recycling themed events, brush up on their recycling knowledge with educational resources, learn about new developments in recycling policy and technology or discover tricks to reduce what they are sending to landfill and ensure resources don’t go to waste.

“As an extension of the Planet Ark and Recycling Week 2023 theme, here at Cowra Council we will be active this week trying to educate our shire about recycling,” said Cowra Shire Council Waste Operations Supervisor, Anthony Collins.

“As part of Recycling Week, we will be more visible and that will include Saturday November 18 at the Cowra Community Markets where waste staff will be on hand from Council to answer any queries the community may have,” said Anthony.

“We have a straight forward mantra at Council and we say “Keep it Simple” when it comes to recycling!”

Last year, Planet Ark research revealed Australian households were potentially sending nearly 2.5 million tonnes of unnecessary waste to landfill. An estimated 9-18 per cent (441,000 tonnes conservatively) of all material sent to landfill by households is likely recyclable, while a massive 41- 52 per cent (2,000,900 tonnes conservatively) could be composted at home or organic processing facilities. Addressing food waste and ensuring packaging is correctly recycled therefore forms a major component of this year’s National Recycling Week resources and activities.

“This year Planet Ark is asking Australians to pause and think about what they are currently sending to landfill and ask whether it is waste after all,” said Planet Ark CEO Rebecca Gilling. 

“We have come a long way since National Recycling Week was established in 1996, but there is still more we could be doing to ensure valuable resources don’t end up wasted in landfill, especially when it comes to food waste and recycling our packaging.”

National Recycling Week was founded in 1996 as an opportunity for Australians to take waste and recycling into their own hands by improving their recycling knowledge and building better recycling habits. Since then, the annual recycling rate in Australia has increased from just 7 per cent of all disposed materials to more than 60 per cent. 

For more information residents are encouraged to visit the Cowra Shire Council site at the Cowra Community Markets this Saturday November 18, go to the website at www.cowracouncil.com.au or contact the Council's waste department on 02 6340 2000. 

RECYCLE AND REPEAT: Cowra Council staff hard at work sorting recyclables out. Our local teams do a great job managing our recycling.