Media Release
Monday 23 August 2010
Visitors to Sydney’s Bondi Beach asked to recycle more as Keep Australia Beautiful Week kicks off
With little more than half the total amount waste of we produce each year being recycled, Sydney siders are being asked to recycle more when they’re out in public places as Keep Australia Beautiful Week kicks off today.
According to Keep Australia Beautiful, whilst around 90% of households have access to kerbside recycling and 99% are participating in some form of re‑use or recycling, there is a major challenge to increase recycling rates when people are away from home to help reduce the significant volumes of recyclable waste ending up in landfill.
“With so many people buying food and drink when they’re out and about these days, we have seen big increases in packaging waste being produced, says KAB spokeswoman, Lara Shannon. “This means more litter on our streets and products ending up in landfill that don’t need to be there.”
“This not only has a negative effect on the environment, but also has a big financial cost. Each year, local councils spend millions nationally to clean up our litter, whilst the cost of sending waste to landfill continues to rise.”
In Sydney, Keep Australia Beautiful is working with Waverley Council to help promote their 37 dedicated bin stations at Bondi.
Lending a hand with the national campaign is Channel Nine beauty, Natalie Gruzlewski.
“Keep Australia Beautiful Week is the perfect time to think about the impact our lifestyle and behaviour has on the environment”, Gruzlewski says.
“It’s easy to recycle at home, but it can be harder when we’re out and about. Fortunately, many councils, venues and businesses are introducing public place recycling bins, making it a bit easier.”
“But, if there are no public recycling bins nearby, then take your empty containers home for recycling”, Gruzlewski suggests.
During Keep Australia Beautiful Week, Hungry Jack’s restaurants nationally will be encouraging their customers to recycle. With the support of Coca-Cola Amatil, selected restaurants in each state and territory will be introducing beverage container recycling trials, to enable their customers and the general public to recycle their empty bottles and cans when they are out and about.
Keep Australia Beautiful will also be announcing the recipients of the Beverage Container Recycling Grants, funded by the Coca-Cola Foundation. The focus of the $200,000 nationwide scheme is on increasing away from home recycling in local communities, with grants awarded to a wide range of community groups and councils across the country.
Other Nine Network personalities joining Gruzlewski in promoting the Keep Australia Beautiful Week campaign include Getaway’s Jules Lund; Hey Hey It’s Saturday’s Livinia Nixon and Suze Raymond and more.
For further information about the campaign, what you can recycle in your local area and other recycling tips, visit www.kab.org.au.
For further information, interviews or images please contact:
Media photo opportunities
1) Bondi public place recycling w Natalie Gruzlewski and Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hopkins
Day:
Wednesday 25th August
Time:
10:45 – 11:15am
Where:Bondi Beach, Bondi Surf Life Saving Club (near Bondi Park playground) Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach.
2) Participating Hungry Jack’s restaurants in Sydney:
| Parramatta |
160 Church St (Cnr Davey St), Parramatta, NSW 2150 |
| Ashfield North |
542-554 Parramatta Rd, Ashfield, NSW 2131 |
| Wentworthville |
343-347 Great Western Highway, Wentworthvile Sth, NSW 2145 |
| Sylvania |
163 Port Hacking Road, Sylvania, NSW 2224 |
Notes:
National Waste Report 2010
- 43 777 000 tonnes of waste were generated in Australia in 2006–07 including construction, industry and municipal waste. Only 52 per cent of this total waste was recycled.
- Per capita, Australia generated around 2.08 tonnes of waste in 2006–07, of which
1.08 tonnes was recycled.
- Only 52% of people have access to recycling facilities for plastic, steel, aluminium cans and glass at their workplace.
- 89% of survey respondents said it was important to be able to recycle in the workplace in the same way as at home.
KAB National Litter Index
Findings from the Keep Australia Beautiful National Litter Index 08/09 show non-specific litter produced the most litter by volume, followed by beverage containers at 32.2% of the total litter stream. Cigarette butts produce the most litter by item, followed by non-specified litter and beverage containers ranking third at 6.2%.
Beverage Container Recycling
Around 90% of households have access to kerbside recycling, with an average of 78% of the beverage containers we use at home recovered for recycling. The challenge for beverage container recycling comes when people are out and about, with an average recovery rate of around 24%. Source: Australian Beverage Packaging Consumption, Recovery and Recycling Quantification Study - Hyder Consulting Pty Ltd