Online search tools such as Recycling Near You<\/a> and the Australasian Recycling Label\u2019s \u201ccheck locally\u201d feature<\/a> let you enter your postcode and look up how to dispose of specific items.<\/p>\n You can search the Australasian Recycling Label site for what can be recycled in your area. When in doubt, check for Australasian Recycling Labels on packaging before you bin it. A \u201cchasing arrows\u201d symbol indicates the item is accepted in more than 80%<\/a> of kerbside recycling bins. However, not all packaging has these labels. Some carry multiple labels.<\/p>\n When in doubt, check for Australasian Recycling Labels on packaging before you bin it. Aluminium<\/p>\n Aluminium is what soft drink cans are made from, and it\u2019s a high value metal<\/a>. It\u2019s worth recycling<\/a>, but size matters.<\/p>\n Aluminium doesn\u2019t contain iron<\/a>, so it\u2019s not magnetic.<\/p>\n In other words, the magnets used in waste recycling facilities to separate metals from other recyclables won\u2019t pick up aluminium cans or foil.<\/p>\n Instead, aluminium items are sorted using a process known as eddy current separation<\/a>.<\/p>\n When items travel along a conveyor belt at a sorting facility, they move past a fast-spinning magnetic rotor at the end. This rotor creates a repelling force that flicks the aluminium items off the conveyor belt and into collection bins.<\/p>\n But this force isn\u2019t strong enough<\/a> to recover small items like jar lids and wine bottle caps.<\/p>\n When it comes to recycling metal jar lids and metal or plastic bottle caps, every recycling facility has different rules<\/a>.<\/p>\n Some need the lids to be left on their containers. Others require lids larger than 5cm to be removed before placing them in your mixed recycling bin or dropped off at a collection site.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not sure, ask your local council or search Recycling Near You<\/a> or the Australasian Recycling Label<\/a> site.<\/p>\n Plastic<\/p>\n Recycling plastic is great, but only about 46% of collected plastic is processed domestically<\/a>, with a lot sent overseas for processing.<\/p>\n Most plastic still ends up in landfill<\/a> due to contamination and low recovery rates<\/a>. <\/p>\n Packaging made from a single type of plastic, such as translucent high-density But only around 40%<\/a> of these get collected for recycling through kerbside bins and dedicated drop-off locations; the rest don\u2019t get collected at all.<\/p>\n Plastic caps<\/a> and labels on HDPE bottles<\/a> are often made from a different type of plastic (polypropylene), so they should be removed before recycling.<\/p>\n Rigid plastics, such as drink bottles, are easier to recycle than soft plastics, but their quality degrades<\/a> with each recycling cycle.<\/p>\n Most single-use soft plastic packaging ends up in landfill<\/a>.<\/p>\n Chemical recycling<\/a> for soft plastics is a relatively new technology in Australia. However, it\u2019s not widely available, is expensive and comes with environmental and health concerns<\/a>.<\/p>\n A lot of things you put in your recycling bin end up in landfill anyway. Contamination<\/p>\n Recycling systems can only work effectively when packaging is clean and free from Food and liquid remnants, labels and small pieces of packaging<\/a> can get tangled in machinery. Even small amounts of food residue<\/a> can introduce germs<\/a> and odours<\/a> into recycling loads. <\/p>\n This is difficult and costly to remove<\/a>, and ultimately reduces the quality of recycled materials, especially those intended for food packaging. <\/p>\n Packaging doesn\u2019t need to be squeaky clean, but it should be rinsed and placed in the recycling bin dry.<\/p>\n Labels and seals on packaging are also an issue. Paper labels and water-soluble Plastic-coated and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) labels<\/a> \u2013 which you sometimes find on, for instance, a punnet of strawberries or milk bottle \u2013 are a challenge. They\u2019re usually made from a different plastic than the container itself, which means they can\u2019t be recycled together. <\/p>\n Removing them before disposal helps ensure a cleaner, more recyclable product<\/a>.<\/p>\n Multi-layered packaging<\/a> is another problem. Cardboard-like items such as long life milk cartons and potato chip tubes are made from layers of paper, plastic and sometimes metal foil \u2013 all laminated together. <\/p>\n Since these layers can\u2019t be separated easily or efficiently, the packaging can\u2019t be recycled<\/a> through most kerbside bins. It usually ends up in landfill.<\/p>\n The bigger picture<\/p>\n Consumers still bear the burden of responsibility on knowing what can and can\u2019t be![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/file-20260414-57-f1fn65.png\")
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\n Australasian Recycling Label<\/a><\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/file-20260414-63-m4bad9.png\")
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\n The Australasian Recycling Label<\/a>, Author provided (no reuse)<\/p>\n
\npolyethylene (HDPE) milk bottles, are easiest to recycle<\/a> into new products. <\/p>\n![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/file-20260414-57-pnpgtc.jpg\")
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\n AAP Image\/Jono Searle<\/a><\/p>\n
\ncontaminants. <\/p>\n
\nglues generally wash off<\/a> during processing. However, tamper-proof seals \u2013 such as the ring around the base of a soft drink bottle lid \u2013 and plastic-coated labels don\u2019t. These materials are hard to remove<\/a> and can contaminate the recycling process.<\/p>\n
\nrecycled. At the end of the day, recycling infrastructure is still limited<\/a> and too much<\/a> is being landfilled. <\/p>\n