News

A guide to low waste period products

Around 300 million tampons and 500 million pads are sold in Australia each year. The Sustainable Period Project estimates that with every period where only disposable pads and tampons are used, Australians spend up to $20 and throw away one shopping bag full of plastics, fibres and packaging. And with the average woman using over […]

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Tasmania’s Container Refund Scheme (CRS)

The Tasmanian Government is introducing a Container Refund Scheme (CRS) as part of its Waste Action Plan. Tasmania’s CRS is getting closer with the legislation now through both houses of parliament and work underway to appoint a Scheme Coordinator and Network Operators. The aim is to start the CRS sometime in early 2023. Like in […]

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Northern Tasmania Waste Minimisation Grant Recipients Announced

The Northern Tasmanian Waste Management Group’s annual resource recovery and waste minimisation grants program has allocated $70,000 towards funding eligible organisations in Northern Tasmania who are demonstrating innovation towards decreasing the amount of waste sent to landfill. The program responds to the increasing financial pressures associated with meeting landfill management, environmental and rehabilitation standards, as […]

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Australian National Waste Report 2020

The National Waste Report was prepared by Blue Environment on commission to the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, which has committed to producing a report every two years. The report provides a summary of the status of waste in Australia in 2018-19,including data on waste generation, source streams, materials and fates. […]

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Congratulations Waste NoT Awards 2020 Winners!

Waste NoT Awards 2020 Winners The winners of the seventh annual Waste NoT awards have been announced, with nine projects selected across several categories for their innovative waste management initiatives in Northern Tasmania. The Awards were hosted by the Northern Tasmanian Waste Management Group.Congratulations everyone! Early Learners Category: Break O’Day Child and Family Centre The […]

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What is e-waste?

What is e-waste? E-waste (short for electronic-waste) is electrical equipment that no longer works and can’t be repaired. It Includes computers, printers, mobile phones, TVs, monitors and electrical accessories like keyboards, power supplies and cables. Some e-waste products are recycled under Product Stewardship Schemes, this means that when you buy these products a portion of […]

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Circular Economy Northern Tasmania ….. it makes sense

Circular Economy Northern Tasmania…. it makes sense Northern Tasmanian businesses that want to explore circular economy initiatives have been encouraged to apply to a new grants program. The circular economy is about moving away from a “take it, make it, break it and bin it” lifecycle to one that reuses, repairs, repurposes and recycles and […]

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Ways to Reduce Waste & Make Positive Purchase Decisions in the Home

From buying in bulk and using your own storage containers to choosing electric razors over disposable ones – this quick reference guide is packed full of ideas to reduce waste in the home! Download your copy here Planning a renovation? Before you start, check out these handy tips for reducing waste when extending, updating or […]

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Clothing and Textiles – too valuable to waste

Did you know? So what can you do about clothing and textile waste? 1. Buy second hand, quality items which will last2. Only buy what you love and know you will wear again and again and again3. Borrow or rent instead of buying if only needed for a single occasion or short period of time4. […]

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Which type of polystyrene can be recycled in Northern Tasmania?

Look at the size of the foam ‘bubbles’ in the polystyrene. If they are big and soft, that is likely to be expanded polystyrene and that CAN be recycled in Northern Tasmania. If no ‘bubbles’ can be seen in the polystyrene or they are very small and the surface is very smooth, they cannot be […]

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Home composting in Hobart and across Tasmania

Want to turn your food and garden waste into nutrient rich compost to improve your soil? This fabulous guide from City of Hobart and Good Life Permaculture was written for Tasmanians living in cool temperate climates and covers: small compost bins tumblers different types of worm farms bokashi bins big compost bays, and good old […]

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Understanding best-before and use-by dates to reduce food waste

Food use by dates, best before dates, sell by, and manufacturing dates on labels can be confusing and lead to good food being binned before it is necessary. The use-by date is the most important date to look for and pay attention to. This date appears on the most perishable of food types such as […]

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Free Bin Posters – put the right things in the right bins

Separating waste at the source by putting the right things in the right bins is one of the easiest ways to stop re-usable and recyclable materials from ending up in landfill. If you have mixed recycling, separate paper and cardboard recycling, food and garden organics collection, a compost bin or general waste collection then help […]

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Congratulations 2019 Waste NoT Award Winners!

The winners of the sixth annual Waste NoT Awards have been announced, with nine projects selected across several categories for their innovative waste management initiatives in Northern Tasmania. Early Learners Category WINNER: Harper Ling – Harper was nominated by her parents in the Early Learners category for her project “Clean up Local”. Harper is 6 […]

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Better Waste Management at School – Where to Begin?

Want to find a better way to manage your school’s waste? Before you jump in to a waste audit, take a few moments to check out the handy tips included in this fact sheet compiled by the Waste Education Officers from across Tasmania. Download the fact sheet here The time spent in planning will help […]

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Travis the Garbologist gets a visit from Veolia

After reading about northern Tasmanian student, Travis, and his passion for recycling in the Rethink Waste Tasmania Good Sorts, Veolia reached out to him with a little surprise. The Veolia team arranged for three staff and a couple of recycling collection trucks to visit Travis and deliver a goody-bag of treats. Travis was invited to […]

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688 Ute Loads of Litter and Counting

Tasmania’s three regional Waste Management Groups are encouraging everyone to celebrate 30 years of community action against litter by joining a clean-up team on Clean Up Australia Day this Sunday 3 March. Northern Tasmanian Waste Management Group member, Michael Attard, said that volunteers in last year’s Clean Up Australia Day helped remove the equivalent of […]

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Soft Plastics Recycling

Currently, soft plastics are not accepted for recycling programs, after the national suspension of the REDcycle program. Stakeholders across Australia are working to address this issue, and we will keep you updated on any  new information.

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Tips to Reduce Waste this Christmas

The Christmas and holiday season creates a spike in both garbage and recycling in Tasmania, but there are ways to reduce waste while retaining the festive spirit. Tasmania’s three regional Waste Management Groups have compiled the 12 Tips of Christmas covering everything from gifts, to decorations and festive meal planning so you can get in […]

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National Recycling Week an Opportunity to Close the Loop

Tasmanians are getting better at recycling with more than 242,000 tonnes of materials collected for re-use in the last year and a steadily declining rate of contamination. According to Northern Tasmanian Waste Management Group member, Michael Attard the positive trend has been helped by the arrival of new recycling services and a change in attitude. […]

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Northern Tasmanian Waste Management Group Grant Recipients for 2018/19

Congratulations to the eleven recipients of the Northern Tasmanian Waste Management Group’s resource recovery and waste minimisation grants for 2018/19. This year the annual program has allocated $70,000 to eligible organisations to help fund infrastructure purchases or educational materials to improve waste management practices in Northern Tasmania. 2018/19 grant recipients: Launceston City Mission – have […]

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Congratulations 2018 Waste NoT Award winners

The winners of the fifth annual Waste NoT Awards were announced at the end of August, with eleven projects selected across several categories for their innovative waste management initiatives in northern Tasmania. Congratulations to: George Town Neighbourhood House, Interweave Arts and Self Help Workshop Inc – winners in the Not for Profit category. Plastic Free […]

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Dangerous goods in kerbside recycling bins

Dangerous goods in kerbside recycling bins pose a real risk to staff at Tasmania’s Materials Recovery Facilities who are sorting bin contents by hand. Examples of dangerous goods include needles and other sharps, ammunition and pieces of wire. Help keep recycling sorting staff safe by keeping needles and other sharps out of kerbside recycling. If […]

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Beauty and the Bees – how this Tasmanian is turning waste avoidance into a business advantage

From humble beginnings selling handmade natural skincare products on a card table at Salamanca market 25 years ago, Jill Saunders’ persistence is really paying off. Jill is the founder of Beauty and the Bees, a Tasmanian business that prides itself on using Earth friendly packaging and edible ingredients, which are continuing to grow in popularity. […]

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