See-through bins a clear winner for recycling waste advocate

SUPPORT for see-through bins could help improve Darwin’s recycling waste problem, which sees up to half of recycled materials contaminated

Plastic free advocate Lina Paselli-Kruse said see-through bins could help keep people accountable in how the dispose of their waste. Picture: Keri Megelus

SUPPORT for see-through bins could help improve Darwin’s recycling waste problem, which sees up to half of recycled materials contaminated.

Recycling and clean waste advocate Lina Paselli-Kruse told ABC Radio yesterday see-through bins could name and shame repeat offenders and keep people accountable to their neighbours.

“I think the clear bin is a fantastic idea and certainly puts peer pressure on everybody in the neighbourhood to look at what we’re doing,” she said. “I did some research after hearing about this statistic and found out in other states of Australia they were trialling this which I thought was such a fantastic idea and maybe it can help us here in the Territory.”

But COOLMob Sustainability officer Lou De Mattia said while it was a creative idea, it wouldn’t have any impact unless people were told what behaviours they needed to change.

“It’s a creative way to look at the problem … but the reason we have high contamination is there is little education,” Ms De Mattia said. “Council could do some sort of noticing system — if a bin is being contaminated, are the residents being told.”

IN OTHER NEWS

Ms De Mattia said people were ultimately confused and needed council’s help on how to recycle properly. “Someone could be going around and checking different bins, finding out the most contaminated items people are getting confused with,” she said.

Ms De Mattia said bringing people’s finances into the picture could be a game changer.

“It’s a pretty good incentive, decreasing rates to people,” she said. “I don’t know if council can make that work economically but competitions, behaviour change programs are a really good way to get families engaged.”