New doorstep recycling service steps up sustainability in Singleton

Published on 09 April 2024

Singleton Council is stepping up its commitment to sustainability, offering a new on-demand home recycling service to residents in partnership with RecycleSmart.

The service, which will allow locals to book online the collection of problem waste that can’t be put in the yellow kerbside bin like batteries, soft plastics, e-waste, books, clothing, and toys (maximum of two shopping bag-sized bags) from their doorstep from 10 April as part of a free recurring collection while helping minimise waste going to landfill and providing a sustainable solution for household clutter.

Justin Fitzpatrick Barr, Council’s Director Infrastructure and Planning Services Group said the initiative would make it easier for people to recycle more.

“Some things just can’t go in yellow or green bins, but that doesn’t mean they should be sent to landfill,” he said. 

“That’s where RecycleSmart comes in — an innovative, on-demand service that will collect “everything else” and send it to be rehomed, reused or recycled.

“It’s as easy as booking an Uber or ordering a pizza — our residents simply need to pack their bag and book the pickup via the app, and RecycleSmart take care of the rest to ensure your items go to the right place to be recycled.

“We want to empower our residents to improve their recycling practices, live more sustainably and work towards becoming a zero-waste community.”

Items Recyclesmart collects include scrunchable soft plastics such as produce bags, cereal-box liners, bubble wrap and squeeze pouches; e-waste including old blenders, charging cables, computer parts, mobile phones and torches; textiles such as clothing, belts, towels and shoes; and ‘problem waste’ including books, fluorescent globes, batteries, printer cartridges, toys and CDs.

The number of collections to be covered by Council is capped per month, but residents can then opt to pay $5 per collection or wait until the following month.

Shopping bags and canvas totes will be returned, and you can also request to be sent a bag to use.

Soft plastics will be converted into materials that can be used for roads, outdoor furniture and fencing, while electronic waste can potentially become asphalt, concrete building materials, new batteries and more. Toys, books and wearable clothes will be donated to local charities and op shops, while unwearable items get diverted to programs by vetted partners to recover and create new fibres. Other problem waste, such as batteries and lightbulbs, will be recycled through facilities capable of processing them.

Learn what can be recycled for free and join the program by visiting W www.recyclesmart.com and downloading the app W www.recyclesmart.com/our-app