The recycling services provided by councils aren’t the only recycling programs available. There are also a number of other ways to recycle unwanted materials and household goods with a view to keeping them out of landfill and giving them the potential to be reused or made into a new product.

The following programs offer collection bins in retail outlets:

• Printer cartridges can be reused or recycled through the ‘Cartridges 4 Planet Ark’ program and other initiatives.
• Mobile phones can be reused or recycled through a number of charitable collections or the industry’s ‘Mobile muster’ program.
• Plastic shopping bags can be recycled through supermarket collections.

Other recycling programs:

• Various computer recycling initiatives. Contact your state waste authority to find out what is happening in your state.
• Household goods and clothing can be recycled through charity collections. They are then sold through ‘op shops’, with the proceeds helping various causes.
• Second hand trade is another way to get rid of unwanted goods without sending them to landfill. You might even make a little money. Newspaper classifieds are one option, as are retail second hand traders such as Cash Converters and internet trade (the basis of eBay).