National Recycling Week (7-13 November) doesn’t quite have the same cheery ring across the Western Plains, with recycling services unavailable in most LGAs across the region and residents having little say in where their rubbish can go. 

While the likes of the Warrumbungle, Narromine and Lachlan Shires have successfully incorporated recycling into their kerbside pickup, for many LGAs the small population and distances has made the option too costly and unviable. 

NetWaste Environmental Learning Advisor Bill Tink said that locals should consider the true cost of materials as an incentive to reduce waste, and get creative while doing it. 

Mr Tink also recommended collecting big recyclables for a bigger trip, including batteries and phones. 

“So reusing items that might go into household recycling when it's unavailable is one way to recycle an item, using cut up milk containers in the garden to protect seedlings for example,” Mr Tink said. 

“Collecting items for Return and Earn is a good one as you could build returning these items into a trip to a larger centre too,” he said. 

While so many recycling options are seemingly unavailable, Mr Tink said that every small part from local towns is making a difference. 

“Return and Earn is making a huge difference. 8.2 billion containers recycled and counting…(it’s) given charities and community groups $35 million via donations and fees as well,” he said. 

Since its beginning in 2017 to 2020, Return and Earn had seen litter reduced by 40 per cent across the state. In the last 12 months alone, 1.98 billion containers have been returned. 

Still, National Recycling Week’s theme of ‘waste isn’t waste until it’s wasted’ is the reminder for locals to take action where they can, and use the services available to them.

For those towns with more accessible recycling programs, Mr Tink said that correctly using the service is crucial. 

“When it comes to the rules it can be confusing, the main thing to keep in mind that recycling is effectively a container and paper service, if in doubt you can find out more at your local council’s website,” he said. 

In recycling centres across the community, reports have surfaced of dirty nappies, dog faeces, needles and other contaminants that not only mean the recycling needs to go to landfill, but makes the job of recycling facility staff difficult. 

Across the Western Plains, recycling programs such as DrumMUSTER, the Warren tyre recycling facility and local councils all offer options to recycle and safely dispose of various products.