Changes to recycling rules in City of Rockingham

New recycling rules are now in place for residents across the City of Rockingham.

The City of Rockingham have introduced new recycling rules after Perth’s three material recovery facilities developed one set of recycling rules for the Perth metropolitan area. 

The City said residents should only notice a small number of changes, with polystyrene, aerosol cans and soft plastics no longer able to be recycled in the yellow-lid recycling bin. Ultra-high temperature plastics such as silver lined milk or juice cartons are now also required to be placed in the red-lid waste bin.  

The changes to recycling rules come after a major international move by China to ban imports on certain types of recyclable waste. This ban impacted a number of South East Asian recycling markets, including Australia. 

Mayor Barry Sammels said the changes from the material recovery facilities would improve the quality of recyclables that are delivered to market.

“Due to the changes in the world’s recycling markets, one set of rules has been established for the Perth Metropolitan Area,” he said.

“No matter where you live, items accepted in the recycling bin will be the same. These changes will help avoid confusion for residents and deliver a better quality of recycled product.”

Aerosols such as fly spray or hair spray are a fire risk for material recovery facilities and can instead be taken to the Millar Road Landfill Facility for free.

Polystyrene such as black foam meat trays and soft plastics like frozen vegetable packets are low quality products and should be placed in the red-lid waste bin as there is no current recycling market available for these items.

However, white foam polystyrene can be recycled at the Millar Road Landfill for free while shopping bags can be recycled through REDcycle at Coles or Woolworths supermarkets.    

“All recyclables must be empty or clean with lids removed and boxes need to be flattened,” Mayor Sammels said.

“All items should be placed into the recycling bin loosely and not bagged. Recyclables that are bagged can’t be sorted and end up going straight to landfill.”

Items that can be placed in the recycling bin:

Plastics
Bottles from the kitchen (ie: milk or sauce bottles), laundry (ie: detergent) and bathroom (ie: shampoo)
Ice cream containers
Margarine or butter containers
Yoghurt containers
Soft drink or water bottles
Take away food containers (not polystyrene)

Glass
Glass bottles for beer, spirit, wine or sauce
Glass jars for spreads, coffee or other food items
Aluminium
Beer cans
Soft drink cans
Coffee or milo tins
Aluminium foil (clean and balled into size of an egg)

Steel
Food tins
Pet food tins
Beer bottle tops (loose)
Jar lids

Paper
Paper (not shredded)
Envelopes (no private details)
Milk or fruit juice cartons (not silver lined)
Glossy magazines, brochures or junk mail
Newspapers
Paper bags
Wrapping paper (not foil)

Cardboard
Cardboard boxes
Beer carton
Cereal box (plastic liner removed)
Egg cartons
Greeting cards
Paper towel tube
Toilet roll tube
Washing powder boxes

Not to recycle:
Food or animal waste
Soft “scrunchable” plastic or polystyrene
Shredded paper
Clothing, shoes, bedding or other materials
Personal hygiene items like nappies or tissues
Bagged recycling.
Gas bottles or aerosols cans (ie: cooking oil spray, air freshener)
Electronic waste, batteries or toys
No ropes, cable or garden hose pipe