26-06-2025
Aussie man called out for little-known rubbish bin mistake most of us make
A Canberra resident was surprised to find a note attached to his recycling bin, informing him of a little-known mistake he was making with his rubbish. The bright yellow tag informed him that his bin had been inspected, as part of a new program rolled out last month across the ACT.
The slip highlighted two types of items that had been incorrectly thrown away — soft plastics and receipts. Receipts are one of the most commonly misunderstood items when it comes to recycling.
Despite their paper appearance, most receipts are coated in chemicals that make them unsuitable for recycling. Also high on the list of frequent mistakes are disposable coffee cups and used paper towels — items many Aussies assume are recyclable but, in most cases, belong in the general waste bin.
The programs were introduced in 2017 beginning with the green waste and FOGO bins. In May, the program was extended to include recycling bins and aims to educate residents on what can and can't be put in those bins.
Each week, streets are selected at random to have their bins inspected by 'waste educators' from the ACT Government or Envirocom Australia.
'They aim to inspect approximately 600 recycling bins and 500 green waste and FOGO bins across various suburbs each week,' an ACT Government spokesperson told Yahoo News.
'The bin inspections are conducted on the morning of bin collection when all bins are presented on the kerbside.'
The program is purely for educational purposes, with officials insisting no fines or penalties will be imposed, and bins will still be collected as normal — unless hazardous material is discovered.
The spokesperson said correct disposal can:
reduce contamination
improve resource recovery
protect our recycling and composting systems.
Yes, the inspectors do open the bins to look at the items inside, but they will only 'observe material on or near the top,' the spokesperson said.
'They may move a few items from the top surface so they can provide accurate feedback.'
The inspectors will only ever look at bins already on the kerb for collection, and carry a letter of authorisation from the government if any resident is unsure of what they are doing.
And it's not just the inspectors that can raise issues with bins.
Rubbish trucks in the ACT are fitted with cameras that allow drivers to monitor the waste being emptied from the bins. The drivers can also place a tag on a bin if they spot a hazardous item or large amounts of contamination.
In rare cases, drivers may refuse to empty the bin of the load is deemed dangerous or overly contaminated.
One final reason for a bin tag is if the bin is damaged or broken. This tag will prompt residents to book a repair or arrange a replacement.
While some Aussies find bin tags to be a welcome bit of education, others find it too intrusive.
Essendon mum Kali told Yahoo last year that she felt the note on her bin was "shaming her" for making a mistake.
She had put reusable shopping bags into her recycling bin, and noticed many bins in the street were tagged.
"It's just a bizarre thing to do," she said. "I thought it was funny that I got bin shamed. I'm sure we're all guilty of [recycling incorrectly], it's an easy mistake.
"Our whole street was embarrassed about it," she added, saying "other neighbours were more offended" than she was.
A 2024 survey from Veolia found Aussies are unsure which bin to use about 40 per cent of them time, and 77 per cent of residents still don't know which bin disposable coffee cups should go in (it's the red one).
Other items leaving residents stumped are bamboo and wood cutlery, which 63 per cent assumed were recyclable, and biodegradable plastic bags, which 58 per cent of people were putting in the wrong bin. Both of these should also go in the general waste bin and then to landfill.
Any residents who are unsure of what can and can't be recycled can download the Recycle Mate app, which allows you to search for any product and it will tell you which bin it belongs in. There is also the option to put in your address and local council to make sure the information is right for your area.
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