City of Cockburn - Wetlands to Waves

Recyling and Waste Minimisation

• Recycling FAQs
• Dry Cell Battery Recycling

The City of Cockburn together with the Cities of Canning, Melville, Fremantle, and the Town of East Fremantle have combined our resources, under the guidance of the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council to provide the first stage of a unique Resource Recovery project.

Cockburn residents received a 240L Recycling 'wheelie bin'. The distinctive yellow topped bin is provided for the collection of recyclables from our waste stream and subsequently to optimise the diversion of these materials from the landfill.

You can help protect the environment simply by recycling and composting. Your recyclables are collected every second week on the same day as your rubbish collection.

In the first three months after introducing recycling bins, Cockburn increased the weight of recyclables collected by 145% and reduced the weight of waste going to landfill by 21%.

Most Cockburn residents have embraced recycling enthusiastically, however some may still be asking the question "Why recycle?" In a word we recycle for the future.

In the past rubbish, whether it could be recycled or not, was disposed of in the rubbish tip. Today we are running out of space in the city's landfills and fewer landfills are planned for the future. In 1995 there were 11 landfills in Perth, by 2004 there were only 5. Clearly we are facing a critical shortage of landfill in the metropolitan area. Capacity at most Perth landfills will be exhausted within 20 years! In the future we will have less space for dumping our rubbish. The solution is to decrease the amount of waste we dispose of at landfills by increasing the volume of materials we recycle.

Recycling is not just an issue facing us in Cockburn. The federal Government's adoption of the Australian and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council (ANZECC) Treaty has established a clear direction for the future of waste management in Australia. The treaty targets decreasing the amount of waste sent to landfills. The new Regional Waste Management Strategy, which your yellow topped bin is an important part, not only meets, but exceeds these national targets.

It is important to place the correct materials in the yellow topped bin.

Correct use of your recycling bin will increase the capacity of your green bin, leaving room for small garden cuttings, lawn clippings, foam packaging, etc.

Remember green waste goes in the green topped bin. If you are unsure if a product is suitable for recycling please view our Which Bin guide or you can call the Customer Services Officer on 9411 3444.

Money is not the reason for recycling. We recycle for our future, our children's future, and our grandchildren's future. 

Dry Cell Battery Recycling Program

Household batteries present an environmental hazard in our waste stream, exposing our soils and waterways to heavy metal contamination, including lead and acid, having the potential to leach from solid waste landfills.

Thanks to a metropolitan wide recycling initiative, residents in the City of Cockburn can now drop off their old household batteries at one of the five locations in the City. For more information on the types of batteries you can recycle and locations in the City of Cockburn, click here

To further reduce the environmental impact of household batteries, make a commitment to purchasing rechargeable varieties.

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