Glass banned as council overhauls its recycling program

GLASS will be banned and recycling in Ipswich will be simplified to only accept four categories of material.

GLASS will be banned and recycling in Ipswich will be simplified to only accept four categories of material.

In a bid to cut contamination rates by more than half, the Ipswich City Council has established a definitive list of four categories for the yellow-lid bin as part of the fortnightly kerbside collection service.

They are:

• Paper - newspapers, magazines, junk mail, office paper
• Cardboard - boxes (including empty pizza boxes)
• Aluminium cans and tins
• Plastic containers - plastic bottles (milk, soft drink, and shampoo and other toiletry containers), yoghurt and ice cream containers.

Acting Works, Parks and Sport Committee Chair David Morrison confirmed the council had entered into a 12-month contract with Visy Paper to accept recycled waste.

Cr Morrison said a crucial component of the new contract with Visy was to drastically reduce contamination down from more than 50 per cent currently to a target of 15 per cent or less.

"I have faith that the people of Ipswich will respond and achieve the 15 per cent target and even lower," he said.

"We have come up with a simple and effective solution to the contamination issue. We believe identifying four categories for recycling will make it easier for residents to follow.

"Please ensure that containers, cans and boxes don't have food or leftover products in them before putting them in the yellow lid bin. You can give them a quick rinse if need be.

"Otherwise, if in doubt, leave it out of the yellow lid bin. Put it in your general waste bin."

Cr Morrison said the key change to council's previous recycling instructions was: No glass.

Broken glass has caused contamination of paper and cardboard recycled in the yellow lid bin. 

"We are focusing on getting our contamination levels downs so we are asking you to, please leave glass out," he said.

"The Queensland Government's planned container deposit scheme is being introduced on November 1, which will enable you to take selected glass containers to drop-off locations and reverse vending machines for a 10c refund on the container.

"Council is also working on finding new innovative local solutions around how to collect and reuse/ recycle glass."

Cr Morrison said council will provide bins for glass at the Riverview and Rosewood transfer stations, where glass can be dropped off free of charge.

Other drop-off locations are being investigated.

Cr Morrison urged residents to begin recycling the four main listed categories immediately.

He said the council would also provide updated stickers for bins identifying the recycling items as soon as possible.