Bottle recycling Adelaide is a great way to save money and help the environment. It can also be a fun and rewarding hobby! Bottles are mainly made from polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Plastic bottles can be recycled into a wide variety of products.
Plastic Bottles
Plastic bottles are a great way to store various liquids and are durable. However, if they are not recycled, it can take up to 700 years to break down in landfills, making them bad for the environment. Most plastic bottles are made from either #1 or #2 plastic; these are the types of bottles most curbside recycling programs accept. They are identified with a resin ID code on the bottle itself.
If you’re not sure what type of bottle yours is, it’s best to ask at the recycling centre where you drop them off. They’ll be able to tell you more about it, and they can let you know what kind of recycling they accept and how to rinse your bottles properly.
Once your bottles are sorted, they’re crushed into cubes (called bales). It’s essential to remove the lids from any bottles before bringing them in for recycling because the cap can slow down the process and cause the bales to break.
Aluminium Cans
Aluminium cans are one of the most popular beverage cans in the world. This is because they are more malleable and lighter than steel cans, which can be more expensive per unit of weight.
They do not rust or corrode and can be easily recycled in most kerbside collections. They are also less likely to leak than other metal cans because they are coated with an epoxy that protects them from acidic contents like carbonated soft drinks.
When recycling aluminium cans, sort them according to their material. Aluminium cans usually have the brand name, size and bar code printed. If you live in a bottle bill state, each can is legally guaranteed a certain amount in return. In other states, call around to find a grocery store, collection centre, or scrap yard that will give you the best rate for your cans.
Glass Bottles
bottles are widely bottle recycling Adelaide and around Australia because they can be reused in many ways. For example, they can be repurposed as food containers or jars for homemade cleaning products, small items and even flower vases.
When collecting glass for recycling, ensure it is empty and dry. Remove any lids or caps, but labels do not need to be removed.
Once collected, glass goes through a series of processes to get it ready for reuse. These include crushing, cleaning and sorting to deliver a contaminant-free product known as a ‘cullet’ prepared for manufacturing in new products.
In South Australia, sustainable packaging manufacturer Orora has opened a $25 million glass beneficiation plant. This will increase the volume of recycled glass used in the state and help achieve 60 per cent recycled content by 2025.
Paper Bags
Paper bags are a great choice when shopping as they are reusable and less harmful than plastic ones. They are also cheaper and can be recycled.
Most paper bags are made from cellulose fibres extracted from sustainably managed forests. This enables them to sequester carbon in the threads for long periods, which helps to keep the planet safe.
These fibres are sourced from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). The FSC label is a sign of responsible forest management that protects wildlife, ecosystems and habitats.
Woolworths has partnered with Adelaide-based family-owned manufacturer Detpak to increase local production of its paper carry bags ahead of a progressive national rollout over the next year. Together, they will create at least 12 new jobs and contribute to broader efforts to grow Australia’s local manufacturing capacity across industries.
Bottle Recycling Adelaide
Bottle recycling Adelaide
The state leads the nation in the recovery, bottle recycling Adelaide and litter reduction of beverage containers. The return rate for drink containers is 76% in 2020-21 and is only 2.8% of all litter, making the scheme one of South Australia’s most effective environmental policies.
10-cent container deposit refunds
In South Australia, a 10-cent container deposit applies to all soft drinks, fruit juice and drink cans purchased within the state. The refund is redeemable at Scout recycling centres.
South Australia’s Leader in Glass Bottle Recycling
Drink Bottles
Each year around 600 million drink containers are returned for refund and recycling in South Australia – a massive amount of bottles are prevented from littering and sent to landfill.
