Community Recycling Station now open in the Civic Centre

24 August 2015

For immediate release

Community Recycling Station now open in the Civic Centre

What do you do with a burnt-out bulb? Let us enlighten you.

Wagga Wagga City Council has launched a Community Recycling Station in the Civic Centre for batteries, ink cartridges and more.

It’s the latest green move from Council after a recent trial to minimise workplace waste kept a whopping 12,000kg of rubbish from going into landfill.

“Most of us just throw light globes and batteries in the bin, but up to 99 per cent of the material in a bulb can be recovered for recycling,” Environmental Education Officer Alice Kent said.

“Australians buy about 345 million batteries each year, so by dropping yours off at the Community Recycling Station you can really make a difference.

“It’s up to all of us to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and this is an easy way for everyone to get involved.”

There are currently 23 million unwanted mobile phones lurking in cupboards and drawers around Australia, which can be dismantled to recover gold, silver, copper and glass.

“By not recycling that many phones we are preventing 2200 tonnes of metal, glass and plastic from being reused.

“Printer cartridges are another item that’s great to recycle as they can be turned into a range of innovative products, including low carbon asphalt to make roads.”

Household quantities of ink cartridges, light globes, batteries and mobile phones and accessories can be dropped off at the Community Recycling Station during Council business hours and from 10am to 4pm on Saturdays and 10am to 2pm on Sundays.

For full details on what items you can recycle at the station, visit www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/waste.

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Contact Josh Lang 6926 9190/0437 385 892 or media@wagga.nsw.gov.au or follow us on Twitter - @WaggaCouncil