Get on board with Big Bag Recovery

Published on 24 November 2022

Each year Australians use 60,000 tonnes of big plastic bags but only 10% is recovered.

That’s the equivalent of 40,000 garbage trucks going to landfill and 5,949 tonnes of CO₂-e into the atmosphere.

Bellingen Shire Council is working with Norco and the Big Bag Recovery team to support the Australian Government Accredited Product Stewardship Scheme for recyclable plastic bags over 15kg/l of contents (sacks and bulk bags only).

Bellingen Shire Councillor Joanne Cook said, ‘Council is aiming to minimise waste to landfill while maximising resource recovery. That’s why we’re putting the services and infrastructure in place that are needed for our Shire to deal with these problematic plastics. It’s all part of our Shire’s transition to the Circular Economy’.

Sam Tate, Bellingen Shire Council’s Waste Coordinator, said ‘Transitioning to a circular economy means working together and we are pleased to partner with Norco and Big Bag Recovery to increase resource efficiency while reducing our carbon footprint.’

‘In 2021-22, our Shire diverted 68% or our waste from landfill. While this was a great achievement, we are striving to do even better this year and getting our Shire on board recovering plastics will make a great contribution,’ he said.

To find out which 15kg -150kg bags are eligible, and to be part of the Big Bag Recovery, visit BigBagRecovery.com.au and take your Big Plastic Bags to Bellingen Shire Council’s Waste Centres at Dorrigo and Raleigh or the drop off point at the Norco store in Bellingen.

Or why not check out other great opportunities to be part of Bellingen Shire’s Circular Economy.