In a first for the region, Maitland City Council has paired with start-up, RecycleSmart, to offer an on-demand recycling home collection service – powered through an app – to the community free of charge.
The service targets problem waste that can’t be put in a yellow bin, like batteries, e-waste and clothes, allowing Maitland residents to have this rubbish collected and recycled as part of a free monthly subscription (maximum of two shopping bag-sized bags).
This initiative will allow Council to collect data on the best approaches to keep valuable recyclables and problem waste separate to the bulky waste stream, offering the best chance of recovering and recycling these materials.
For only $5, residents also have the option for more than two bags of recycling to be picked up on demand.
Maitland City Council’s Manager Environment and Sustainability, Catherine Pepper, said this convenient sustainability solution will have a huge benefit to both the community and the environment.
“Many of us find it hard to make the time to take problem waste like old clothes, batteries and lightbulbs to recycling points, but with this new program you can book it for free, bag it up, take it out the front and someone will come and get it for you. Problem solved!”
Everything that is picked up through the program is recycled, reducing the amount of waste going into the ground, adding to the circular economy and creating future uses.
CEO and co-founder of RecycleSmart, Giorgio Baracchi, said, “We are here to change the way people feel about recycling, so they recycle more things more often.
“We achieve that by making recycling digital, fun and easy. We believe recycling should be something you look forward to doing.”
The program is for recycling only and is available until 30 June 2023, in addition to Council’s kerbside bulky waste collection service which is planned for the first half of 2023.
The service is a response to the community’s overwhelming support for increasing efforts in recycling and resource recovery, with the goal of working towards the State Government set targets of 80 per cent waste materials diverted away from landfill by 2030.
Learn what can be recycled for free and join the program by visiting www.recyclesmart.com and downloading the app www.recyclesmart.com/our-app
This project is a NSW Environment Protection Authority Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, funded from the waste levy.
