108 Bargara Rd
Bundaberg East, Qld, 4670
By Tanya O'Shea, IMPACT Community Services' Managing Director
"STRONGER TOGETHER" is a weekly column where Tanya explores key issues. This week Tanya focuses on recycling.
During the holidays and ahead of a new year, typically signifies a time for cleaning, decluttering, and cleansing – out with the old to make way for the new.
While a refreshed and organised home is a fantastic way to start the new year, it’s important not to litter your broader environment in the process and know what to recycle.
How do you get rid of broken decorations, lights, plastic trees?
IMPACT Community Services manages the Bundaberg Regional Council’s Material Recovery Facility on University Drive, where our staff sort by hand all the items that you put into your recycling bins.
At the Recycling and Collections Centre we employ 27 workers with disability under the Australian Government’s NDIS Social Enterprise program.
We provide a supported work environment where our staff help individual workers identify areas to grow their skills and undertake any training to assist in achieving their goals.
In the lead up to the festive period, our team has shared some helpful information about recycling.
Fake trees and decorations are not recyclable, we can take the string of lights, however people are urged to tie them up securely, so they do not tangle in the machinery.
If your wrapping paper and boxes have tape on them, they can still be recycled, so be sure to pop them in the yellow-topped bins.
Batteries on the other hand are a big no to going in either wheelie bin. Car batteries leak acid and contaminate the loads and smaller batteries end up in landfill.
If you want to recycle batteries, please take them to the Council battery recycling centres.
Queenslanders go through 2.7 billion drink containers each year and for those looking to turn their eligible containers into cash, our team at IMPACT’s Container Refund Point are here to help.
IMPACT’S Container Refund Centre at 78 University Dr is open from 7.30am to 4pm weekdays and 8am-midday on Saturday.
Most aluminum, glass, plastic, steel, and liquid paperboard beverage containers between 150ml and 3L are eligible for a 10-cent refund.
Throughout the festive season the Container refund Centre will be open as usual with exceptions of the public holidays when it will be closed.
At the Container Refund Centre you can get your 10-cent cash refund for eligible containers, or download the Containers for Change app, register, then stop and drop your tagged bags with us and the money is directly deposited into your account.
For more information click here.
Please note: This website may contain references to, or feature images, videos, and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have passed away.