Many waste services and options are available in Bellingen Shire to help you manage and dispose of business waste and recycling. These can save you money, improve efficiency, increase safety, reduce environmental impacts and gain customers. On this page you will find:
- five simple steps to get it right
- a small business Waste Reduction Toolkit to guide you through a waste review
- recycling options and services for common business waste
There are five simple steps your business can follow to improve waste management:
1. Look for efficiencies
Think about avoiding, reducing or reusing waste before you look at recycling. This might include avoiding single-use items, switching to reusable packaging, reviewing inventory management to avoid spoilage, and finding different uses for off-cuts and by-products. Read the NSW EPA Reducing your business waste industry factsheets about waste in 12 common industries to find advice for your business.
2. Choose recycling services
If there is anything recyclable in your garbage bin, you’re probably wasting money. Look for a service to suit the amount and type of recycling you have. See our list of services and recycling options below, or use the search tool on the BusinessRecycling website. Remember, using your red bin is the most expensive option.
3. Make recycling easy
Put small recycling bins in convenient locations, such as in the staff room for recycling drink bottles or in the receiving area for recycling packaging. Make sure all bins are fitted with signs BusinessRecycling and consider buying colour-coded recycling bins. Always try to pair recycling bins with garbage bins, as a recycling bin on its own can attract rubbish and become contaminated.
4. Involve staff
Ask for suggestions from staff, discuss business waste in meetings, and include it in new staff inductions. Waste management is a tangible part of every day in most workplaces. If it is done neatly and efficiently, many staff members will like it.
5. Promote your system
Formalise and promote your efforts by adopting a waste management policy and displaying it for customers and staff. This reinforces staff compliance and gives customers another reason to support you. A basic policy template is available in the Small Business Waste Reduction Toolkit.
This toolkit provides a simple process, tools, templates and case studies to help small business reduce waste and save money.
Download the Small Business Waste Reduction Toolkit(PDF, 2MB)
Most businesses in Bellingen Shire are eligible for Council’s three-bin system. This includes:
- a red-lidded garbage bin, collected weekly
- a yellow-lidded recycling bin, collected fortnightly
- a green-lidded food and garden organics bin, collected weekly
To arrange additional bins, phone the Waste Hotline on 1300 342 207. For fees, see Council’s Schedule of Fees and Charges(PDF, 16MB).
Commercial waste contractors also provide other waste and recycling collection services in the area. To find out about these services and the locations where you can drop off materials for recycling, use the search tool on the BusinessRecycling website.
Printer ink and toner cartridges
These can be recycled for free through the Cartridges for Planet Ark program. Drop off your ink and toner cartridges at Australia Post outlets, Council offices or the Raleigh Waste Management Centre. If you use three or more cartridges per month you may be eligible for your own free cartridge recycling box.
Mobile phones
Mobile phones contain both valuable and harmful materials. MobileMuster is an industry-funded program set up to increase recycling rates for mobile phones and accessories. To send your old phone to MobileMuster, you can:
- drop it in a MobileMuster bin at any BSC library or
- order a MobileMuster collection box for your workplace, or download a mailing label and mail your phone in a padded envelope
Coffee pods
If you use Nespresso coffee pods, you can order a postage-paid satchel to return pods for recycling, or you can order a bulk recycling box and arrange a free pickup when it’s full. Visit the Nespresso website for details.
If you use another brand of coffee pods, check the company’s website for recycling options.