You can’t deny the fact that the trash problem is getting bigger. The reason is simple as it’s a human tendency to leave things behind when they are not needed any more. Moreover, sometimes due to busy schedules or even lack of knowledge (even with the best intentions) this trash is not managed properly. The waste that can easily be recycled still finds its way to landfill.
How does that happen?
Take this for instance – you had your breakfast, now you need to rush to your office. Suddenly you realize that the empty cereal box needs to be cleared off the table. The easiest way is to put it in the garbage bin and there you go. Now instead of getting recycled, the cereal box gets mixed up with other non-recyclable waste. There are plenty of other things like batteries, paper, packaging material, toothbrushes, empty cosmetic containers which usually don’t find their way into the correct bin. However, now it’s getting easier to send them to the right place. Apart from the multiple bin awareness programs, many big brands and companies have also come forward to boost these recycling programmes. They are offering incentives like store credit, discounts and cash backs for getting rid of the waste that can be recycled.
Here are 3 big brands who have joined these programs and are accepting recycling items:
Aldi
They are one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country. They offer a national battery recycling program for their customers across all stores. You can safely and quickly drop AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries, from any brand in every ALDI stores. So far, they have recycled more than 13.7 million batteries. Voila!
In NSW, you can take your empty, uncrushed and unbroken containers and earn collection points. 10c for each returned container. Now, how cool is that!
Officeworks:
They are also very enthusiastic about the environment and are constantly launching new initiatives for sustainability. Their recycling program mainly includes e-waste and old equipment like old computers and their accessories. You can take your old desktops, laptops, mice, monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, power supplies, PCBs, motherboards, network cards, DVDs, CDs, empty toner cartridges, mobile phones and their accessories, batteries etc.
Apart from e-waste recycling, Officeworks also accept stationery items like old pens, desk items, and coffee pods with their partner TerraCycle.
Woolworths:
Woolworths is the first major retailer to stop using plastic bags completely in their stores. They have also stopped selling plastic straws in all stores across Australia and New Zealand. On average, 3.2 billion single-use plastic bags and 134 million straws have been removed from circulation every year.
All of their stores across Australia have soft plastic recycling bins. You can take any soft plastic like plastic bags (if you have any cheeky ones hiding under the sink), packaging material, bread bags, glad wrap, and bubble wrap that can’t be recycled in the yellow bin at your home. These soft plastics are then recycled by their partners REDcycle and Replas, and get converted into benches and bollards which they use in their stores and car parks.