What can we recycle?
Quick answer from Eartha
We can recycle paper, cardboard, glass jars, metal cans and hard plastic bottles. They go in the yellow-lid bin, all clean and dry. Recycling means old things get turned into new things, so we don't need as many new materials. Every bottle counts!
The longer story
Lots of things we use every day can have a second life. Paper, cardboard boxes, glass jars, metal cans and hard plastics like milk bottles can all go in the recycling bin. When we recycle them, they get chopped up, cleaned and made into new products.
In Australia, most homes have a yellow-lid bin just for recycling. It's important that things go in clean and dry, because dirty or wet items can spoil a whole truckload. A greasy pizza box, for example, usually can't be recycled.
Some drink containers can also earn you money. Through Containers for Change and similar schemes, you can take bottles and cans to a depot and get a small refund, which is a great reason to keep them out of landfill.
Not everything can be recycled at home, like soft plastic bags, but many supermarkets collect those separately. Checking before we bin something helps our planet stay a little cleaner, one jar and can at a time.
Try this at home: Recycling detective
- Pick five things from your recycling bin and sort them into paper, glass, metal and plastic.
- Check if each one is clean and dry.
- Talk about where you think each item might go next.
Words to know
- Recycle
- To turn old things into new things instead of throwing them away.
- Landfill
- A big place where rubbish that can't be reused gets buried.
- Containers for Change
- An Australian scheme where you get money back for some bottles and cans.
For grown-ups: what is my child learning here?
Age band: 5-8
Curriculum link: Australian Curriculum v9 Science, AC9SFI04, AC9SFI05
The concept: Materials can be reused and recycled, which reduces waste and protects resources.
More classroom ideas are on our teachers page, and safety notes for families are on for parents.
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