Collection points make recycling easier

Recycling has been made easier for the Bunbury community.

Residents can now drop off household batteries, mobile phones, beauty products and sealed sharps containers for free at several Bunbury City Council drop off points.

Mayor Gary Brennan said the household collection points were just another way the council was trying to educate and make it easier for the community.

“It’s part of our relentless campaign to ensure that our community is well aware of what can be recycled and what can’t,” Mr Brennan said.

He said China’s recent ban on foreign waste was also a driving force behind the new initiative as the council aimed to minimise contaminated waste coming in.

“There has been changes in the last year or so, with what’s happened in China in particular,” he said.

“What was deemed to be recyclable then is no longer and we just need to keep reinforcing that point.

“If we have the community putting recyclables in that they think are recyclable and actually they’re not, it creates a cost for the company that we engage and can also result in some penalties to the city.

“So we’ve just got to try and keep on reinforcing it.”

Collection points include the City of Bunbury Administration Office, Bunbury Public and Withers Community libraries and South West Sports Centre.

Mr Brennan encouraged residents to take advantage of the initiative.

“There’s several of those across the city ... you’ll see more of that as we encourage more and more recycling,” he said.