Council’s waste (resource recovery) teams want Central Highlanders of all ages to know how to dispose of Christmas wrapping.
‘If the Christmas wrapping is made from paper and cardboard, it can go in the yellow-top bin, bubble wrap and polystyrene should go in the red-top bin,’ Waste Facilities Supervisor Bruce Masters said.
‘Be mindful of metallic wrapping or paper with glitter or foil detail, these can’t be recycled and should also go in the red-top bin.
‘And, please don’t dispose of the Christmas wrapper in the bush, creeks or waterways to protect wildlife and fish habitats.’
For children, the team gave the Emerald Resource Recovery Centre’s mascot and recycling art turtle a Christmas makeover to inspire a visit from Santa.
‘We had an early visit from Santa to the Emerald facility to ask us to pass on the message to the younger generation,’ Mr Master said.
General Manager Communities John McDougall said as a member of Reef Guardian and the Clean Growth Choices consortium, council had made a commitment towards sustainable futures.
‘It’s what we learn as children at home that shapes our behaviours later in life, and when it comes to recycling, it’s what we teach our children now that impacts the opportunities they have and that our region can offer them in the future.’
He said council recently conducted a recycling audit in the region to determine contamination levels.
‘We look forward to receiving and analysing the data from our recycling audit in 2021 to implement a targeted approach towards improving recycling habits in the region.’
As a member of the Clean Growth Choices consortium, council assist the Queensland Department of Environment and Science roll out the Communities in Transition Program to Queensland communities. The program supports selected regional communities in Queensland in creating a resilient and sustainable future. The consortium is made up of the University of Southern Queensland, James Cook University, CSIRO and The Ecoefficiency Group.
As a Reef Guardian member, council highlights environmentally sustainable practices, including waste reuse and recycling.