The term “reduce, reuse, recycle” was popularised during the environmental movement in the 1970’s and has never been more relevant. However, there is some confusion around what can and can’t be recycled. Here’s a list of surprisingly recyclable vs non-recyclable household items.
Recycling doesn’t have to be difficult, knowing these simple recycling do’s and don’ts can make all the difference. At Bonza Bins we make rubbish removal easy. We accept almost any kind of waste and we have skip bins of any size to cater to your needs.
Be sure to check with your local council about recycling as it may vary depending on where you live. For more information about our services, make sure to get in touch and order the best skip bins in Fremantle and the Southern Suburbs.
Most of us want to help the environment by recycling as much as we can. Australian’s are known to produce 540kg of household waste per person, each year. As a result, the country is generating an estimated 67 million tonnes of waste, but only 37% is being recycled. To battle the war on waste, we all have to do our part with recycling. Here are some simple tips to recycle more effectively at home.
It’s important to take our recycling habits into our schools. It’s estimated that around 80% of what is used at school can be recycled. Providing children and adults with exposure to the importance of recycling, to help us all live in a greener and healthier community.
The last major place you can make a difference is recycling at work. Here are a few tips to make some big changes to increase your recycling habits within the office.
Managing waste is one of the challenges our country is facing right now. We can all make a difference by even following just a few of the above tips. At Bonza Bins we make rubbish removal easy. We accept almost any kind of waste and we have skip bins of any size to cater to your needs. For more information about our services, make sure to get in touch and order the best skip bins in Canning Vale and the Southern Suburbs.
Each household has at least one box of old electronics lying around – much like that box full of cables that you can’t bring yourself to chuck out. You might not be purposely collecting old electronics like laptops and phones, but if you’re like most people, you have no idea what to do with them. You might also be concerned about data safety. So you just end up keeping them for years.
With millions of televisions, computers and mobile phones discarded in Australia each year, you might be wondering what happens to them? Do they end up in landfill? Read on to find out what happens to E-waste!
In 2011, the Federal Government implemented a program (NTCRS) to collect and reuse electronics from companies that import or manufacture more than 5000 devices per year. Through this scheme, the companies help recover end-of-life products and divert them from landfill. These products end up being recycled.
As you might know already, electronics are categorized as household hazardous waste and cannot be placed in regular bins or skip bins. So you won’t be able to gather all of them and hire a bin to get rid of them!
The good news is that there are over 1800 collection points across the country where you can drop off your unwanted TVs, phones, laptops and other electronics. They are then dismantled by material type – plastics, glass, circuit boards, batteries and so on.
The recycling of different parts is more of a global effort instead of a local one.
The circuit boards are sent to Japan, where a chemical process is used to recover precious metals like gold, silver or copper. The batteries are sent to Korea, where they are recycled and substances like lithium and cadmium are recovered. Steel, copper and aluminium are processed in Australia, while a fair portion of plastics is sent in China.
This is one of the main concerns when it comes to throwing away laptops and computers. You might be worried about your computer data and how it’s handled – you wouldn’t want anyone to gain access to it!
You can rest assured there’s no data security issue to be concerned about when it comes to recycling. All the elements of an electronic device are dismantled and destroyed. This means the data is wiped away as well.
The situation is very different if you’re donating the computer or laptop. Then you would want to make sure you erase everything on the hard drive. There are companies that specialise in this and can offer you a wiping certificate as well.
Mobile phones are recycled through Mobile Muster, a voluntary scheme established 20 years ago. As the process is similar with computer recycling, no need to worry about your data. The pieces are dismantled and sent off for material recovery.
If you want to be extra cautious, it’s not a bad idea to erase everything on your phone by either manually deleting and logging out of any apps or doing a factory reset. But if it’s broken and you can’t turn it on, don’t worry about it. Everything will be destroyed.
Recycling electronic waste is very important, as most devices can be repurposed into new ones. For most other types of waste, make sure to get in touch and order the best skip bins in Armadale and the Southern Suburbs.
Skip bins are very versatile and can hold many types of rubbish, from green waste and household items to construction and demolition waste. However, there are certain items that cannot be disposed of via skip bins. Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) fits into that category.
Find out what hazardous waste is and how it can be removed from your property in a safe manner!
There are certain items in your home that are dangerous when placed in regular kerbside bins or skip bins, as they are corrosive, flammable, explosive or very toxic. Household hazardous waste can be disposed of at HHW Permanent Facilities throughout WA.
Even these facilities will only accept certain types of hazardous waste, up to a limit of 20 kg per material type:
Waste that is NOT accepted by HHW Permanent Facilities needs to be attended to through other programs. Here are the materials you should never place in a regular bin or a skip bin:
Contact your local council to find out how to dispose of any of the above. They can guide you to the right facilities.
Skip bins can be used for most common types of waste. For example, Bonza Bins accept building rubble (bricks, tiles, concrete, sand), garden and general household waste, whitegoods, wood etc. Many skip bin companies do not allow you to mix “heavy” and “light” materials. In a Bonza Bin you are able to mix these.
So if you’re renovating, moving out or simply doing a thorough general cleaning, contact your friendly bin hire in Fremantle! Just let us know what kind of rubbish you plan to dispose of and we can recommend the perfect bin for you!
It’s a well-known fact that we create enormous amounts of waste. And while the regular rubbish bin might do the day-to-day job, sometimes you need a skip bin to dispose of waste. For example – if you’ve renovated your home and need to get rid of old furniture. If you’ve cleaned your garden and ended up with a large amount of green waste. Or if you’re moving out of a long term rental and need to do a big cleanup.
The first time you order a skip bin, you might be overwhelmed by all the choices. How on earth do you know what size or type of bin to order? You definitely don’t want to make “rookie” mistakes that will end up costing you more.
Stress less! Read our beginner’s guide to hiring a skip bin and rest easy knowing exactly how to get the bin you need.
Skip bins can be hired for projects big and small, but there are situations where it’s really necessary to get one, like when you move out or renovate. You can use a skip bin for anything from green waste and household items to construction and demolition waste. There are a few exceptions you need to be aware of. The following items cannot go into a Bonza skip bin:
In the case of fibre cement, our team will ask you to leave it at the top of the bin, so that one of our drivers can make sure it is not asbestos.
It’s also good to keep in mind that there is a restriction on the number of bed mattresses you can fit in a skip – maximum 2 per bin.
Skip bins conveniently come in different sizes to suit your specific needs. For example, we offer bins that range between 3-10 cubic metre. One cubic metre is approximately one standard (6×4) trailer load of rubbish. The 3 m³ skip bin will hold approximately 3 standard trailer loads of rubbish.
The type of waste you plan to dispose of (light or heavy) also influences the price of the bin. Bins that hold heavy waste are more expensive than lighter things.
Light waste types:
Heavy waste types:
Once your skip bin is delivered, it will need to be placed on your property – usually on the verge, for easy collection.
If you don’t have enough room for a skip bin on your land and need to use public property. You’ll have to contact the local council for approval if you need to place it on public property.
Whether you’re moving out or spring cleaning, you want a hassle-free experience when you hire a skip bin. Here are 3 tips to avoid the most common rookie mistakes people make when hiring a skip bin.
Need skip bin help?
Bonza Bins is a family owned and operated business that specialises in providing skip bins to Perth’s southern suburbs for the removal of residential and commercial waste. If you need to dispose of a large amount of waste, get in touch with the best bin hire in Canning Vale and we’ll ensure a hassle-free experience from start to finish.
Renovations are at an all time high since isolation started a few months ago – truth be told, a house makeover is the kind of project that can keep your mind busy and reduce anxiety.
You don’t need to go big or go home! While major renovations are exhausting and expensive, there are quite a few small changes you can make to modernise your home without breaking the bank!
Here are five easy ways to update your house and give it a fresh new look.
Decluttering is a big job, we admit it. But it’s definitely worth the effort! Designate a day or two to spend only on this tedious, but very necessary task.
While each person has their own way of tidying up, it might be a good idea to do some research and choose a tried and tested approach, like Marie Kondo’s method.
At the very least, you need to focus on a few categories of objects that most of us end up hoarding without even realising it: clothes, books, papers, cables and cords, kitchenware etc. Make sure to throw away the objects you don’t need – like that electric socket adaptor you bought 15 years ago and never used. You’ll be amazed how many of the things in your house have the sole purpose of gathering dust (and being an eyesore).
Once you’re done with throwing useless items away and organising the items you want to keep, you can move on to sprucing up your home!
One of the cheapest ways to update and modernise your home is to change fabrics like: bed covers, throws, pillow cases, curtains, towels etc.
Before you run to Ikea, make sure you have a colour scheme in mind! Fabrics in bold colours can really give your home that oomph it’s missing, but it’s important to understand how to use them to their best potential. The easiest way is to play around with complementary colours: for example, if your bedroom’s main colour is blue, a splash of orange will have a stunning effect.
While you might be trying to reduce costs, we do recommend investing in good quality fabrics that really give off that cosy-and-opulent vibe you see in every interior design magazine.
This is the fun part of a low-cost home modernising project! With a little help from your partner or some friends, you can give any room a total makeover by simply changing its configuration.
Most furniture rearrangements are intuitive – you’ve probably thought about moving things around, but you never got to it. Well, now is the time! And if you really want to take things up a notch, why not look into the ancient art of Feng Shui?
If you do have some spare cash to spend on your home, it’s not a bad idea to invest in a new sofa, a nifty armchair or a pretty coffee table – a single item can make a massive difference in the flow and vibe of a room.
Good lighting can make or break the look and feel of any space. While an abundance of natural light is always good, when it comes to artificial light we recommend changing static light switches with dimmers, a truly rewarding venture that you’ll thank yourself for!
As with fabrics, lighting solutions are for a home what accessories are for outfits. They can make a world of difference, so consider changing a few lamps and if you’re feeling more adventurous than that, invest in a jaw-dropping chandelier.
Nothing gives a home a more dramatic update than a fresh coat of paint. It’s also an easy and fun DIY project you can take on without hiring anyone.
Whether you choose to refresh the current colours or go for a new palette all together, your home will look totally transformed! Pro tip: find out what the hottest colours of the year are and take your home reno project to the next level!
Updating your home doesn’t have to be expensive – with a few smart changes you can achieve a magazine-worthy house in no time! If your decluttering and modernising efforts result in a large amount of waste, be sure to contact the most affordable bin hire in Canning Vale!
We have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that more people are recycling more today than ever before. The bad news is that the way we recycle is working against our efforts. Many people unknowingly fill their recycling bin with items that are classified as contaminants, like low-grade plastics or pizza boxes.
Recycling contamination has become a global concern as it has a direct impact on the quality of recyclables entering the markets, while also increasing costs and making the whole process unsustainable.
Read on to find out the effects of recycling contamination and the solution to this global problem.
Recycling contamination starts in each of our homes – since it’s a problem we all contribute to, it can also be solved with the proper education and a willingness to change our habits.
If you’re like most people, you try to recycle as many items as possible and feel good about it too! The only problem is that you might be unintentionally mixing non-recyclables in your bin, thus contaminating most of, if not an entire batch.
And we’re not pointing a finger at you, because the truth is that it can be quite tricky to figure out what is recyclable and what isn’t. Packaging has become more complex in time and there are now very different types of plastic used for packaging everyday items. For most of us, these all fit under one category which should be recycled. Unfortunately, objects like grocery bags, zip-top bags, plastic bottle lids, rubber hoses and other common items are non-recyclable, yet they still end up in single-stream containers, contaminating large amounts of waste. Contamination has increased over the years and now sits at a whopping 25%: 1 in 4 items we put in the recycle bin are non-recyclable.
Recycling contaminations presents with many problems that hinder our recycling efforts. The most obvious problem is that materials that could be reused end up into a landfill. A small amount of contaminants can ruin a massive amount of otherwise recyclable items. For example, liquid or food placed in a recycling container will slowly saturate tonnes of cardboard and paper, rendering them useless.
Another problem of recycling contamination is the increase of costs. The more money and time required to separate contaminants, the higher the expenses. As contaminants cannot be completely removed, recyclable byproducts’ quality decreases, reducing their market value. This makes it very hard for waste management companies to make up for the cost of contamination.
While waste management companies have a significant role to play in the sustainability of recycling, the solution is mostly in our hands, quite literally. It starts with each of us doing some research in order to reduce and prevent contamination from now on.
Here are the most common contaminants that find their way to the recycling bin in many households:
The silver lining is that we CAN change things and prevent recycling contamination without too much effort. All we need to do is carefully read the instructions on packaging – they usually specify if the item is recyclable or not. A bit of research also goes a long way.
If you need a skip bin to get rid of waste, be sure to contact the most affordable and reliable bin hire in Armadale and other southern suburbs.
No matter how organised you consider yourself to be, the truth is we’re all guilty of hoarding to some degree. Your Achilles’ heel could be clothes, shoes, video games, books or objects with sentimental value. You know what we’re talking about: all the things you just can’t bring yourself to throw away and find “good” reasons not to, like “I love this T-shirt!” or “My first boyfriend gave this to me on our 2 week anniversary 20 years ago”. We’ve all been there!
When it comes to decluttering our homes, we might find ourselves incapable of deciding what to keep and how to organise things, so we give up decluttering all together. Luckily, there are experts like Marie Kondo who can guide us on this hard mission of tidying up our homes.
Let’s have a look at the KonMari method of decluttering that sparked a massive buzz on Netflix a little while ago. Read on to find out how to tidy up your home like a pro!
Often the best ideas come from slightly changing an approach that has already been used for ages. This is how the KonMari method was developed by the internationally acclaimed pro-organizer and author Marie Kondo: instead of tackling objects room-by-room, you tackle them by category. This revolutionary idea changed the lifestyle of millions of people who were struggling with hoarding and living in cluttered homes.
The KonMari method isn’t only about organising your things, but also about creating a space that contributes to your mental wellbeing. By using her approach, you can surround yourself with the objects that spark joy instead of objects that cause you stress.
Marie Kondo’s method consists of six rules:
Are you ready to declutter your home? Here’s the KonMari checklist to help you choose a category to organise.
The KonMari decluttering method will help you create a better living space for you and your family, so that any object your eyes fall on will spark joy!
Decluttering can leave you with massive piles of items you want to discard, so why not hire a handy skip bin to make things easy? We can help you with skip bins in Fremantle and other SOR suburbs!
One of the more humbling facts about modern life is the fact that, for those with the privilege to live in first world countries, the reality is that our standard of living has never been higher in human history. Our standards of food, medicine, living conditions and even waste management have all improved massively with each new generation.
But do you know what’s an even better realisation? The fact that our children will no doubt have a quality of life that far exceeds our own.
So let’s have a friendly look towards the future and find out just what awaits us in the world of modern waste management.
The times-are-a-changing and transformation is required for a bold new future, with many waste companies now shifting their focus towards converting waste into biofuel. Yes, many waste companies hope to turn waste into energy!
While thermal technologies have seen the biggest growth in the last decade, biological technologies hold great potential and could provide a major breakthrough in the energy sector.
Thus, a new (and very promising) generation of companies is coming to life. Companies like LanzaTech are starting to use bio-tech to literally eat away biodegradable trash to convert said waste into a form of bio-fuel. Pretty cool, huh?
Another almost sci-fi example is Novozymes, a company that created a solution which converts used cooking oil into biodiesel. Alchemists, eat your heart out!
One of the big things in waste management is the idea that items have a shelf life that means things must be “thrown away” eventually. Even the word implies wastage. Well, that line of thinking is changing rapidly, and items are now being recycled more efficiently than ever before.
A step up from that is the integration of wider economic systems, with certain initiatives for designers and manufacturers taking effect in the not too distant future across the globe.
By 2025, we can expect waste management companies to step up and switch from burning and burying waste to returning it as valuable resources to manufacturers.
Manufacturers themselves will need to “rewire” their process and think of today’s goods as tomorrow’s raw materials, making those initial steps towards a more renewable, long term business model. With this, the quality of the products themselves will change for the better, so that they last longer, are easier to repair and to dismantle.
This is mostly done, on a more literal level, by closing what’s referred to as “resource loops” in the process of using key materials for goods in the marketplace, seeing through the lifespan of a product from it’s initial usage all the way to its final usage much later.
This should hopefully create in the next decade or two a complete and harmonious system of circular good use and minimal waste creation.
Here’s undeniable proof that we are spoiled for choice and living a (bit too) plentiful life: half of the food produced on the globe ends up in the bin. The Government estimates food waste costs the Australian economy $20 billion each year! We’re all guilty of wasting food, but how can we change that?
An idea that is becoming more popular is that of implementing smart cards, which would charge consumers for the waste they produce. This might sound a bit harsh, but this sort of measure can change public attitude faster than you can say “food waste”.
It has already been tried and successfully tested in South Korea – residents scan their smart cards, weigh their rubbish and are billed for the corresponding wastage. This would make anyone think twice before chucking those leftovers in the bin!
The future is bright if companies and consumers are prepared to take the plunge and commit to a more sustainable future, changing their attitude to rubbish.
In the meantime, Bonza Bins are here to help you take care of your waste. For skip bins in Fremantle and other South of the River suburbs, get in touch today!
Everybody knows about recycling, but it seems like fewer people really know the ins and outs of how to do it in detail. With climate change on the rise, however, it seems like now is a more important time than ever to try and bring down our carbon footprint and recycle as much as we can to keep our planet as healthy as possible.
So, let’s get to it!
First off, let’s cover the basics here. In Australia, most home recyclables can essentially be broken down into one of two categories:
Paper and Cardboard:
Items you can recycle that are paper and cardboard usually take the form of one of these listed below:
Containers:
As a side note, in case the above seems confusing, most items made of certain plastics aluminium, steel and glass can all still be recycled, so don’t immediately go for the waste bin with these items.
This is also a pretty good segway towards another neat little list we have on stuff that can’t actually be recycled:
Most of those should honestly be pretty obvious. But we won’t judge if you were taken by surprise by at least one.
Now, you may be asking yourself, “what about stuff like plastic bags? How do I recycle those? CAN I recycle those?” – Well, there is a pretty basic solution to that.
Most grocery stores actually will take back plastic bags for recycling purposes, so you can, more often than not, simply hand them over on your next groceries trip.
For the most part, there are actually a massive number of specialist recycling programs that you can take advantage of that handle everything from soft plastics, tubes and everything in between.
Need help with environmentally friendly waste management in your home or business? Contact Bonza Bins today for premium Canning Vale skip bins.
