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Recycling

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Eva, left, in ReLove’s Sydney warehouse, with co–founder Renuka Fernando.

Just like a real store, but everything is free for people doing it tough

ReLove Free Store is kitting out about 25 households a week, with furnishings worth $10,000 or more.

  • Jane Cadzow

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Recycling story

I’m in the self-care aisle at Woolies, but I’m not here to buy shampoo. I’m on a covert mission

This masthead sent a packaging expert images of products with recycling symbols and labels. None were recyclable in Australia.

  • Hannah Kennelly
Sinking boats and Jonathan Frearson.

Sydney Harbour’s shameful secret – and a boat dealer in the spotlight

The bane of environmentalists and the scourge of maritime authorities, Jonathan Frearson is a dealer with a difference.

  • Harriet Alexander
A collector returning cans and bottles for recycling in Sydney.

Those collectors rummaging through our bins? Our recycling system relies on them

The Return and Earn scheme has dramatically cut litter while boosting recycling, but are the environmental benefits coming at a social cost?

  • Cindy Yin and Caitlin Fitzsimmons

New French laws have put ultra-fast fashion companies on notice. Should we follow suit?

In a world first, France has legislated to tax fast fashion brands, but Australia continues to lag behind other countries in addressing fashion waste. Why is this?

  • Lauren Ironmonger
James Dorney, chief executive of Tomra Cleanaway, which manages the NSW container return scheme, at a sorting plant at Eastern Creek.

Australian container return schemes are a booming good news story

Unlike efforts to recycle soft plastics, container deposit schemes have been a success across Australia, with billions of bottles recycled.

  • Nick O'Malley and Bianca Hall
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The James Brown campaign truck dumping corflutes at a Sydney tip in May 2025.

We can have democracy without the plastic waste

Corflutes are fully recyclable, but signs from the 2025 election are already winding up in landfill or as litter.

  • Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Planet Ark championed the Australasian Recycling Label.

Labor commits to national packaging rules as Planet Ark collapses

The environmental charity behind a number of high-profile recycling schemes went into voluntary administration this week.

  • Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Climate campaigner John Englart lives in Merri-bek, one of the first Melbourne councils to adopt glass-only recycling.

Purple bin backlash brews in the ’burbs as councils rubbish extra costs

Dozens of Victorian councils are fighting state plans to impose glass-only kerbside recycling, and argue the popular container deposit scheme should be expanded instead.

  • Adam Carey
Competition is increasing among landfill operators for soil.

Pay dirt: Landfills fight for lucrative soil contracts

Rising landfill levies and a slowdown in construction have sparked instability within Victoria’s waste industry as operators warn of aggressive tactics and the financial collapse of some recycling and reuse companies. 

  • Kieran Rooney

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/topic/recycling-jdp