March 2025 Recycling & Waste Update

Facilities and Operations:

Our team’s been hard at work managing a busy end to summer across our waste and recycling facilities.

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s been happening:

Waste Facility & Operations

• We transported waste and recycling from Killiecrankie and Lady Barron to Whitemark.

• At the Whitemark Waste Facility, we:

  • Cleared the aluminium can overflow – recyclables were baled

  • Baled cardboard for recycling.

• The Household Hazardous Waste Collection event safely removed:

  •  233kg of flammable liquids

  •  1094kg of toxic herbicides & pesticides

  • 1kg of corrosive substances

• A new Recycling Hub will open at the Whitemark Waste Facility and is set to open in May.

Community Recycling Hubs

Our Hubs have diverted 48.6kg of materials in March — that's over 400kg since the program began! 
Top recyclables so far:

• 🔋 Batteries: 121.09kg

• ☕ Coffee Pods: 95.49kg

• 🖨️ Printer Cartridges: 68.39kg

• 🧴 Skincare: 24.63kg

• 💡 Light Bulbs & Tubes: 21.4kg

Off-Island Recycling

We sent a bunch of materials away for recycling and disposal:

• 0.77 tonnes of aluminium cans – raising $1,115 for FIDHS's Cash for Cans program

• 1000L of cooking oil

• 9.71kg through Mobile Muster

• 16kg of printer cartridges

• 1 box of household lights

• (Note: The skincare program is paused until further notice)

Coming Soon: Safer Battery Collection

Thanks to support from NRM North, we’re upgrading our battery recycling systems:

•  A new retail drop-off bin will be installed at Whitemark IGA

• A 600L fireproof container will be added at the Waste Facility to safely store and transport hazardous batteries

These upgrades will help us keep the community safe while improving our recycling capabilities.

Recycle Rewards Are On the Way!

The Whitemark Waste Facility has been chosen as the official site for the Container Refund Point on Flinders Island.
💰 Eligible drink containers will soon earn you 10 cents back under Tasmania’s statewide scheme! More info coming soon.

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February 2025 Recycling & Waste Update

Facilities and Operations:

The team managed busy summer operations, including transporting recyclables and waste from Killiecrankie and Lady Barron to Whitemark. Improvements at the Whitemark Waste Facility included:

• Cleaning and sorting at the Giving Shed.
• Relocating machinery tyres for easier access.
• Establishing dedicated bins for oil filters and oily rags.
• Removing inappropriate items from the green waste pile. Reminder: Green waste should be free of metal, plastic, timber, or large amounts of soil.

Recycling & Resource Recovery:

The Flinders Island Community Recycling Hubs diverted 21.6 kg of materials in January, totalling 352.3 kg since launch. Top-performing recycling programs are:

• Batteries: 101.3 kg
• Coffee Pods: 86.9 kg
• Printer Cartridges: 54.3 kg
• Skincare: 21.5 kg
• Light Bulbs & Tubes: 21.4 kg

Materials sent off-island for recycling or disposal included:

• 1.1 tonnes of lead-acid batteries.
• 2,800 litres of motor oil.
• 6 yellow fire extinguishers (containing ozone-depleting chemicals).

Upcoming Events:

• School Recycling Hub: A new hub is being planned to help students recycle and learn about waste reduction.
• Cash-4-Cans Sorting Event: Monday 24th February, 9 am–12 pm at Whitemark. Wear a hat, sturdy shoes, and long sleeves.
• Household Hazardous Waste Collection: Sunday 30th & Monday 31st March, 1 pm–4 pm at Whitemark. Partnering with Circular North to collect items like pesticides, cleaning solvents, and pool chemicals. More details will be shared later in February.

 

 

 

January 2025 Recycling & Waste Update

Transfer Station Update

Thank you for your patience and support while we worked through a temporary disruption at our Waste Transfer Stations. We’re happy to let you know that operations are now back to normal.

As we move forward, let’s all consider ways to minimise waste and reduce what ends up in landfill. Why not:

• Host a garage sale or use local buy/swap/sell groups to give unwanted items a new life?
• Choose reusable options like refillable bottles, bulk foods, and produce bags instead of single-use plastics.
• Explore creative ways to repurpose or upcycle items in your home.

Every small change helps us build a more sustainable future for our island. Thanks for doing your part!

GIVING SHED REMINDER

The Giving Shed is maintained by dedicated community volunteers. Please be mindful when donating to keep things manageable.

Friendly reminders:

• Not suitable for donation: Socks, underwear, and bras.
• Please avoid: Items that are stained, soiled, unwashed, or at the end of their life.

If items can’t be reused, kindly dispose of them responsibly. Thank you for your understanding!