Santa set to deliver recycling spike this Christmas
Published on 23 December 2021
Lake Macquarie waste and recycling crews are preparing for another busy festive season, with new data revealing revellers will dispose of almost three jumbo jets’ worth of extra recyclables over Christmas and New Year.
Analysis of the past five years of waste generation across the city shows that while the amount of general waste residents throw into their red bins actually decreases over December and January, kerbside recycling jumps by an average of 17 per cent.
“That’s almost 500 tonnes of extra cardboard, glass bottles, plastic, aluminium and other recyclables over December and January each year across Lake Macquarie,” Manager Waste Services Paul Collins said.
“Putting on the Santa hat, it’s equal to the weight of more than 3700 reindeer, or almost three Boeing 747s.”
Mr Collins said the spike in recycling demonstrated two things.
“First, Lake Mac residents do a fantastic job of recycling whatever they can at Christmas, so it’s a festive thumbs-up for them. Second, the amount of wrapping paper and packaging from Christmas presents and items bought in traditional Boxing Day sales is staggering.”
It’s not just the kerbside yellow bins getting a workout over Christmas.
The amount of material residents drop off in bulk recycling bins, provided free of charge at Council’s Community Recycling Centre (CRC) at Awaba Waste Management Facility, increases by more than 70 per cent during the holiday period.
The CRC is also one of the few places in NSW that accepts styrofoam packaging used to protect electronics and other boxed goods, with the light but bulky material melted down into cubes for reuse.
“Another big category at this time of year is e-waste,” Mr Collins said.
“A lot of people will buy TVs, computers and other electronic items, or they’ll get them as presents, and so they’ll drop off their old devices to make way for the new stuff.”
“The important thing to remember is that many e-waste items can be dropped off free of charge at our Awaba facility, and that’s where we want to see them – not illegally dumped by the side of the road, or in our beautiful bushland.”
Awaba Waste Management Facility will remain open every day except 25 December 8am-4pm to help cope with increased demand.
There are no changes to waste, recycling or green waste kerbside collections over the Christmas/New Year period.
Find out more about the CRC at lakemac.com.au.